The Bar of Ireland hosted its 11th International Women’s Day celebration at the King’s Inns on Thursday 5 March, run in association with the Bar’s equality and resilience committee.

Senator Lynne Ruane delivered the keynote address, which challenged attendees to consider the roles that each person plays in shaping a more equitable society.

The panel, moderated by Ingrid Miley, also heard from consultant neurosurgeon Tafadzwa Mandiwanza and Dr Mamobo Ogoro, founder and CEO of GORM.

The Law Society of Northern Ireland hosted a special conference at Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast on Friday, which brought together leading voices from across the legal profession and public life.

The keynote speech was delivered by Judith Gillespie CBE, former assistant chief constable in the PSNI, with other contributors including Eileen Weir, a well-known and respected community development practitioner.

The conference also coincided with the first anniversary of the Law Society of Northern Ireland’s women’s network.

“What started as an idea has grown to almost 400 members in a short space of time,” Law Society president Mark Borland said in his opening remarks.

“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.”

The Bar of Northern Ireland marked International Women’s Day with an event celebrating entrants to the profession from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.

The Bar Council supports the Lord Kerr Scholarship and the QUB Bright Future Collective, both of which are committed to widening participation in the legal profession, and lat year launched the new Bar of Northern Ireland Scholarship.

During the IWD event, recipients of Bar Council scholarships shared insights into their fledgling legal careers and spoke about their experiences with mid-career and senior practitioners.