We are excited to share the first blog from our Women’s Network, starting with a message from our Chair, Claire McAleer.
My name is Claire McAleer. I am a mum of three working in private practice with Fox Law in Omagh. Although I qualified in 2009, I left practice in 2014 and the reasons around this were a combination of challenges within the profession and motherhood. In 2022, encouraged by another female Solicitor I have known since my IPLS days, I returned to practice- something that, even earlier that year, I never saw myself doing. However, I have not regretted it. Yet, anyway!
During my time out of law, I did both paid and unpaid work in the community and voluntary sector working with women and their families. My last job before returning to practice was with the NI Rural Women’s Network, delivering the UK government funded ‘Women Breaking Barriers’ project aimed at helping women get into/ back into training and paid work (“paid work” is important- women who are at home raising families work damn hard, just for no remuneration.)
The community and voluntary sector work, along with my experience of becoming a mother, showed me just how invaluable the support of other women is. I learned from their experience and wisdom, found safe spaces to unload my difficulties and found love and support- which I then passed on. This community is what we need- even as Solicitors, and maybe even more so. Despite more women qualifying into the profession than men, we are struggling to retain these women and to see those that remain progress. It’s why I am genuinely delighted to see the creation of the Women’s Network and I am so incredibly proud to be the first Chair.
To date, we have been working at getting a programme of events in place for this year. These will be a mix of online and in- person, with in-person events being held province wide. We need to remove barriers to participation for women, and we recognise that travelling to Belfast is a significant barrier. I am pleased to say that we have some great advocates for rural women and rural firms within the Network!
Our first event out in the Associations is in Omagh on 20th June. We have Sinead Lunny, a former Solicitor and now Director of Vocalis Public Speaking delivering a session on ‘Own the Room: Speak with more authority and gravitas’, which can be booked here. We also have other exciting events over the summer period, including an online webinar on ‘Empowering Women in Law – Running for Law Society Council’ on 4th July, as well as an event on ‘Master the Art of Networking’, with Lynette Fay, on 21st July. Not only is the Network supporting women within the profession with these sessions, but we are also supporting local women-owned businesses and female entrepreneurs beyond the Profession with our choice of facilitators.
We have representatives from most of the local Associations. These representatives help shape the activities and direction of the Network by feeding back the needs of the members in their area as well as organising local events. The Network has to be by the members for the members. We would love to have all Associations covered - if you are interested and have any questions about what the role entails, I am more than happy to have a conversation - please reach out to me at womensnetwork@lawsoc-ni.org
