International Women’s Day 2024: Navigating Women’s Journeys in Law

Women have formed part of the legal profession in Gibraltar for almost 70 years since the first female lawyer, Pamela Benady, was called to the Gibraltar Bar in 1955. Yet, we still have a long way to go. 

In the UK, 62% of solicitors are women and yet women are underrepresented at the partner level in firms of all sizes (47% of partners overall and 32% of full-equity partners). In Gibraltar the disparity is far greater. What is going on? This International Women’s Day, three women in the profession walk us through their journeys, share their obstacles and offer hope to those who will follow in their footsteps. 

Yvonne’s Journey 

Yvonne Chu’s journey began in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, where she was born and raised.  Her legal career did not start with the typical law degree but started with her role as a typist in a small law firm in Kuala Lumpur. It was not long before she was then headhunted by the third largest law firm in Kuala Lumpur and joined the civil litigation team as a legal secretary. Yvonne was fortunate to earn a scholarship to complete her law degree in Manchester. 

Fast forward 30 years and Yvonne is now a well-known force in the financial services and specifically insurance law sector in Gibraltar. Yvonne joined Hassans in 1993 and became a partner of the Financial Services and Banking Team in 2005. Some of her achievements include sitting on the board of many successful insurance companies, being the Gibraltar general representative for The Corporation of Lloyds and notably teaching and encouraging the next generation of lawyers. Part of this willingness to inspire the next generation is realised in Yvonne’s role as one of the steer group members of the Women in Insurance Network where she plays a pivotal part in hosting a programme for young women in the insurance sector who want to reach the C-suite of company's top management positions. 

Pulled in many directions

Despite the successful story of this woman in law, Yvonne remarks that the journey is tough. Upon deciding to become a mother, Yvonne took a 3-year hiatus from the industry to care for her children and carry out the traditional role in the household. On her return to the industry her career took a different path moving from civil litigation to the financial services sector on a part-time basis. Yvonne notes that having young children and a household to run whilst maintaining a career in law and hitting targets was no easy feat. Women are often pulled in many directions and are expected to be able to ‘do it all’ and even though Yvonne endeavoured to thrive in all aspects of her life, she notes that it was a juggling act at times. Yvonne’s message in this regard is that ‘you are not a failure if you do not do it all’. There are certain unspoken expectations and pressures placed on women, especially in the legal industry which demands a lot of a person. In the legal field, you must be able to prove yourself professionally, whilst also balancing life and all that comes with it. Yvonne states that in hindsight asking for help, which starts in the home but also in the workplace, would be the route she would now take in order to divide and conquer. Hindsight has also offered Yvonne the ability to reflect on the fact that her role as a mother and a caregiver has taught her invaluable skills that have since assisted in her legal career. 

Paving the way to success

In asking how the legal industry can be more inclusive, Yvonne answers that:

"although the profession is inclusive to certain extents, there is some ways to go with the establishment."

Yvonne advocates for scrapping individual financial targets altogether, and instead suggests a team leader target or group sharing target between those who need assistance to meet targets, such as women or even men with childcare commitments. Yvonne would like to encourage and eventually see more female voices in the industry and surmises that women often lack the courage to champion their successes and instead downplay their abilities. If the industry were to be more female dominated, Yvonne would do away with this narrative and would like to see more encouragement for female representation whilst also seeing less assumptions from men on what women want from their careers. International Women’s Day is important to Yvonne as it reminds everyone to have those difficult conversations and although she believes we still have a way to go, Yvonne will always be an advocate for women to have choices in their careers and in life.

Abigail’s Journey

Abigail Cornelio is a Partner heading Hassans' Estate Planning and Probate Team. About 17 years into her legal profession as part of the busy and dynamic corporate team within the Commercial Department at Hassans, she changed the focus of her practice to Private Client work and a few years later she progressed into her current practice. Motherhood alone was not the only reason for the change in her practice, but she does acknowledge that becoming a mother changes you, and it may have had an impact on the type of work which she enjoyed. Life experiences inevitably impact on your career, and other aspects of your life. 

Abigail manages a busy practice, with a wide range of clients. She works with family offices, high net worth individuals, and working-class individuals. She relishes the wide range of clients and the different challenges which are encountered. As for the scope of her work, no two days are the same, she drafts wills, establishes estate planning roadmaps for clients with cross-border estate planning needs, as well as advising on estate matters. No two matters are ever the same, no two clients have the same needs, which she enjoys immensely. She advocates for flexible working modes, such as working from home or compressed hours, however she recognises how crucial visibility really is. Working from home exclusively, or predominantly, is going to affect anyone’s progression. However, at the same time the right dose will allow the flexibility that means somebody who is trying to do it all is less hard on herself.

Finding the formula 

Like many mothers who work outside of the home in 2024, Abigail feels the constant tension between working like she does not have children, and raising her children like she does not work. She does acknowledge that this is partly due to the weight of her own expectations, and that these expectations are what drive us and make us aspire to do more. There is nothing negative in wanting to do everything – and do everything well. 

When asked the age-old question of how to reconcile being present for your family and present for your clients, Abigail admits that:

“there is no set formula for everyone. It’s a matter of being flexible and making it work for you at any given point in your legal career. You need to lean in and out of different facets of your life, sometimes multiple times during the day. Although it’s not possible to have it all at the same time, it certainly is possible to be present in all aspect of your life, including your career.” 

Chloe’s Journey

As a young girl, a tiny seed was planted that Chloe would one day become a lawyer. From that moment, her path was set. She knew early on that only through hard work and dedication that she could reach her desired goals. A graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, Chloe Oppenheimer Fa, majored in International Affairs and minored in Law Policy and Society. Thereafter, she completed the law conversion course in London and the LPC. Now, as a senior associate at Hassans, she specialises in corporate and commercial matters. Her journey has been one of self-discovery and self-identity, tending to that seed planted many years prior, until it flourished into a thriving legal career in Gibraltar.

The journey, as most would find it, is not always smooth sailing. Law is a demanding career and in Chloe’s words, 'you must have somewhat of a passion for it if you want to be in the industry long term and do well.' We explored various aspects of the legal industry, particularly issues surrounding inclusivity for parents. It is inevitable that the number of women in more senior roles start diminishing as you go up the ranks. Chloe never truly understood why that happened until she decided to start a family. A beautiful decision worthy of celebration, yet one that, to her, marked a significant point in her career trajectory. Balancing inherent perfectionism, the desire to excel in all areas, and dealing with the fast-paced environment of the legal industry, became challenging to keep up with once she entered motherhood. 

Managing the weight

It took Chloe a long time to accept the challenges that she faced as a new parent, learning how to manage the weight of motherhood while maintaining a demanding career. This was a delicate balance to strike, one between nurture and ambition. Although, each step was, and continues to be, a testament to her resilience and determination. Once Chloe realised that she didn’t have to be ‘perfect’, she felt a massive weight had lifted off her shoulders. The turning point for her was finding balance and flexibility and she shares an encouraging message:

“don’t think it’s impossible to carry on with your career when you have children. Will it be difficult? Yes, it will. But for anyone who wants to be a young parent, it is doable, and things are changing.”

Enhancing inclusivity 

In Chloe’s view, organisations and law firms are acknowledging that people want to be present parents and that, that’s not a bad thing. In fact, she believes it makes for a happy work force. It is about allowing individuals to find a balance that works well for them and their family and makes them happy. We delved into various other topics, including business models and school hours. Our discussions centred around enhancing these systems to be more inclusive for parents, recognising that there is still significant progress to be made and identified areas where improvements are needed. 

Chloe continues her journey of navigating the double roles of motherhood and a legal career, acknowledging the challenges that are faced in finding a balance, yet remaining steady in her search of success. Her advice focuses on making the most of the early years to gain as much knowledge as possible and stepping out of one’s comfort zone. Her story demonstrates that it is not only about reaching the destination, but also the entire path, complete with all its bumps and hurdles, that ultimately, shapes who we are.

Looking forward

Being a woman in law may still be an uphill struggle but the path is being paved and the industry is evolving into a more understanding and inclusive space. Hopefully, on a future International Women’s Day we will be celebrating the closing of the gap, thanks to these formidable women and the multitudes like them all over the world who have paved the way for women like us.