The Law Society of Northern Ireland has marked this year’s International Women’s Day with a special conference at Crumlin Road Jail in Belfast. 

The conference brought together leading voices from across the legal profession and public life in celebration of International Women’s Day on Friday 6 March 2026.

The focus of the Society’s conference reflected the international theme of “Give to Gain”, which highlighted the need for collective action and investment in women's rights to build a more inclusive future. 

Those attending had the opportunity to engage through a series of keynote talks, panel discussions and contributors reflecting on their personal stories and journeys.

The conference keynote speaker was Judith Gilliespie CBE, former PSNI Assistant Chief Constable who has had a distinguished career serving the community in a leadership role.

In keeping with the theme of this year’s conference, attendees were able to hear from a series of contributors and access discussions on issues including ‘lived experiences of legal women’, ‘power in partnership’ and ‘spotlight on mentoring’.

President of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, Mark Borland, said: "Today’s conference marks an important milestone – the first anniversary of our Women’s Network. 

Over the past year, the Network has delivered a significant number of events across Northern Ireland, creating meaningful opportunities for women in our profession to connect, share experiences and access learning opportunities. 

These events have addressed some very important issues facing women in the profession today: leadership, career progression, confidence, resilience and wellbeing. 

The Network itself is an example of “Give to Gain” in action. What started as an idea has grown to almost 400 members in a short space of time. 

Its success has been made possible by the generosity of members who have given their time, expertise and support, and enabled by the Society’s investment in the initiative, demonstrating our commitment to supporting and enabling the growth of women in our profession."

See more images of the event below.