Why we shouldn’t need an International Women’s Day

By Lucy Tarrant, Founder of Cognitive Law.

On March 8th every year since 1911, International Women’s Day has celebrated the achievements of women and highlighted the fight for gender equality. And every year I join the celebrations, I find myself thinking the same thing – that we shouldn’t need an International Women’s Day.

Don’t get me wrong — I fully support recognising and celebrating the contributions of women, and Cognitive Law were headline sponsors at this year’s Best of British Women in Business Lunch to recognise the incredible women not only here in Brighton and Hove but worldwide. But the fact that we still need a designated day to call attention to gender equality highlights a fundamental problem: true parity still doesn’t exist. Nowhere is this more evident than in the legal profession, where rigid structures and outdated mindsets continue to hinder progress.

The legal industry’s gender problem

For decades, law firms have followed the same archaic model. Long hours, rigid hierarchies and an unwavering dedication to the billable hour are ingrained in the profession’s culture. This structure disproportionately disadvantages women, particularly those who want or need flexibility to balance professional and personal responsibilities.

Despite some progress since the first female solicitor was admitted in 1922, women are still underrepresented in senior positions at traditional law firms. While the number of female law graduates and junior solicitors has increased significantly, partnership figures remain stubbornly male-dominated.

The statistics

It is not that the law doesn’t attract women. It’s that the law does not remain attractive to women.

According to the SRA, in 2015 women made up 47% of the legal profession. That rose to 52% in 2022 and to 53%. Great huh? More than parity, right?

Well, that’s where the good news ends.

In 2023, in firms of more than 50+ partners, only 28% of them are women. Smaller firms fare better, with 32% female partners. But if 53% of all solicitors are women, why are only an average of 30% of all equity partners women? Where do they go?!

They either leave, or don’t put themselves forward for those top roles. And that’s because of the inflexible working arrangements, an ingrained ‘presenteeism’ culture, and unconscious bias in promotion decisions. So many talented women are hitting this glass ceiling, finding themselves side-lined after maternity leave, or simply burning out trying to meet outdated expectations.

A better way: the consultancy model

When I founded Cognitive Law in 2014, it was because I had experienced first-hand how the traditional law firm structure failed female solicitors. I wanted to create a different kind of law firm, one that truly allowed all solicitors (regardless of gender) to build a successful career on their own terms.

Consultancy law firms break free from the limitations of the traditional model. They offer solicitors the ability to work flexibly, set their own schedules, and build a career that suits their personal and professional goals. There are no office politics, no rigid hierarchies, and no outdated expectations of what a ‘successful’ solicitor looks like. Success is measured by each individual’s own personal metric, not by hours spent at a desk.

This model has been transformative for many female solicitors who had previously felt pushed out of the profession. It allows talented, highly qualified, and experienced solicitors to remain in the profession. It allows them to balance their legal careers with their family lives without being penalised for doing so. More importantly, it puts the power back into their hands — giving them control over their workload, earnings, and career progression.

The consultancy model proves that it is possible to have a legal profession that works for everyone. At Cognitive Law, we don’t need an International Women’s Day to highlight female success — it’s evident every single day in the achievements of our consultants. They are thriving, not because they’ve been given special treatment, but because they’ve been given the autonomy and flexibility to build their careers in a way that works for them.

Moving beyond a single day of recognition

If law firms — and businesses in general — were truly inclusive and unbiased, we wouldn’t need a dedicated day to remind us to address gender inequality. If workplaces genuinely embraced flexibility, judged people on their work rather than their working patterns, and ensured equal opportunities for career progression, we wouldn’t still be having the same conversations about gender bias in 2025 that were undoubtedly taking place in 1911.

I completely agree that we must stop thinking of gender equality as something we focus on for one day a year. Instead, we need to challenge the deep-rooted traditional structures that continue to hold women back — not just in law, but across all industries. That means rethinking outdated working practices, addressing unconscious bias, and creating genuinely equal opportunities for progression.

I look forward to the day when International Women’s Day is redundant. When we don’t need a special day to remind the world that women are capable, ambitious, and deserving of equal opportunities. But until then, we’ll continue leading by example at Cognitive Law — proving that a better way is not just possible, but essential.

And if you’re a solicitor looking for a way to take control of your career and work on your own terms, perhaps it’s time for a change. Because at Cognitive Law, success isn’t defined by outdated structures — it’s defined by you.