Aunty Donna Ingram of the Eora nation of Australia's First Peoples welcomed us all to Gadigal land, and encouraged the mission of Her Counsel: using this moment of transformation to create new opportunities for cultural and identity diversity in the legal profession.

Opportunity, agency, and where to begin

Heather Paterson, Legora's Vice President of Asia-Pacific and Japan, chaired an hour-long panel bringing together voices from across the profession, including Dr Kellie Nuttall, Professor Selena Bartlett, MinterEllison CEO Virginia Briggs, and Westpac Risk and Transformation Director Petra Stirling. Each arrived with a distinct perspective and a shared conviction that there is real opportunity in legal right now, and women should be at the centre of it.

The conversation ranged across practical steps, the role of community in sustaining ambition, and the structural changes the profession still needs to make. Throughout, the emphasis was on connection. On what becomes possible when women in law share experience openly and build relationships that stretch beyond a single afternoon.

That spirit carried through to the close of the panel, where each panellist shared a personal book recommendation and gifted a copy to a member of the audience. A small gesture, but a meaningful one with something to take away and a reason to keep the conversation going. The Q&A that followed made the appetite in the room plain: for many, particularly those earlier in their careers, the most pressing question was simply where to begin.

Why it matters now

Her Counsel was created to carve out intentional space for women to come together across all areas of law and at every stage of their careers.

In Australia, women now account for around 58% of solicitors in private practice, according to the International Bar Association, yet they remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership roles, making up 45%. This pattern is reflected globally: women enter the profession in comparable numbers, but are still less visible at the highest levels of influence.

Progress is real, but representation alone is not enough. Turning presence into leadership requires time, support, and spaces designed for honest exchange.

What comes next

Through Her Counsel, Legora brings women in law together to share perspectives, exchange insight, and strengthen the connections that underpin leadership in practice.

Sydney marks the next chapter in a series that began in Stockholm, London, and Madrid, with further events planned throughout 2026.

If you'd like to be part of the conversation we're building, register your interest below.