Black History Month – Baroness Scotland – an inspiring legal leader

I am one of the new co-chairs of the Faith, Race, Ethnicity and Equality network at Pinsent Masons. As I reflect on this year’s Black History Month theme – Proud to Be – I’m inspired by my Black colleagues and peers who tackle adversity and numerous obstacles to carve out a successful career in the law. While representation remains low, the iconic black lawyers who have challenged the establishment to reach the upper echelons, not just of the legal profession, but of the political world, are a powerful reminder of how our society must radically change to improve representation.

Baroness Patricia Scotland is nothing short of an icon and someone I admire for her grit, determination and commitment to making the world a better place.

Born in Dominica, Baroness Scotland was raised in East London and was called to the Bar in 1977 beginning her career as a barrister when she was 22 years old. After developing her career across a range of areas including employment and discrimination she began to specialise in family cases and has advised on a number of high-profile child abuse enquiries.

At 35 she became the first Black woman to take Silk. In fact, during her career a number of ‘firsts’ can be attributed to Baroness Scotland. Notably the was the first Black woman to be appointed as a Deputy High Court judge in the late 1990s, became the first woman and first person of colour to be appointed Attorney General in 2007. Furthermore, she launched the pro bono legal panel to provide legal support for British citizens imprisoned overseas and introduced the International Criminal Court Bill which sought to ratify the jurisdiction of the Court into UK law. Throughout her career she’s held a number of ministerial posts and became a member of the House of Lords in the late 1990s.

We can all be inspired by Baroness Scotland and admire the vigour in which she pursued a career in law at a time when it was wholly the preserve of white men. Black History Month is a time to celebrate inspirational Black leaders but also to reflect on the work that must be done to remove barriers to entry and progression for minority ethnic people across the business community. As professional services businesses take steps to address inequality in the workplace, I am hopeful that we will now begin to see genuine, positive change.