Being a woman in law in 2025

This International Women’s Day, we sat down with Kerry Dovey, Associate Member in the property team here at Godwins Solicitors LLP in Winchester, to find out what it is like to be a woman in law in 2025.

 

 How has the legal industry changed since you started out in your career?

 

As with social changes, the legal landscape has changed drastically over the 20 years that I have been practising. More and more solicitors are now female with current statistics showing 65% of solicitors are women however there is still a seniority gap at partner level with only 32% of full equity partners being female.

Aside from statistics, the biggest change to the industry is working practises and being able to work from home. Being physically present for my children and being able to do the school run has given me more balance in my career. Early on, this just was not possible and that constant tug-of-war between motherhood and having a career in law  was a constant struggle to manage.

I enjoy working in our Winchester office and the interactions with my team  in the office which you cannot have at home so easily . You also have the ability to close the office door so there is a clear distinction between work and home.  Ultimately it is all a balance and flexibility has been the most positive change as a female lawyer and I am sure that applies to men as well.

In 2025, I think we can be so much more authentic as lawyers. You can add the out-of-office, saying ‘apologies, I am at sports day’ without the judgement of 20 years ago.

Law firms have to continue to be current and forward-thinking in order to retain good staff and morale within the teams. I am lucky at Godwins to work for such a great firm who have adopted that approach.

 

What are the challenges facing law, as you see it, in the next few years?

 

A career in law is stressful and particularly working in property and conveyancing, the stress levels will only increase because clients want fast-paced transactions to match other purchases in their daily life, like internet shopping for example. How you purchase property hasn’t changed in the last 100 years so the system hasn’t really kept up with fast-paced society. You can still only buy land by way of a witnessed deed. Whilst electronic  signatures and DocuSign, have helped, the transaction speed and managing clients’ expectations does not always  live up to the fast-paced society that we now live in.

Managing mental health, my own and the teams, is something that at Godwins, we take very seriously and keep under review. We have opened conversations about mental health, menopause and quality work life balance. They are certainly not topics discussed 20 years ago when we all wore suits to work. Working in law as a female in 2025 is a much more pleasant experience than when I started. I feel that women in law of my generation have been trailblazers, allowing the next generation of female lawyers to have a smoother career path with no barriers to partnership, for example, just because you work part-time or you have children.

 

What is one thing you miss from your early career in law?

 

Without a doubt, the Land Registry’s speed on completing applications and having a direct line to the Land Registry’s manager!  Oh and receiving letters in the post so that there was not that constant barrage of emails you suffer on a daily basis.

 

 

What advice would you give to young female lawyers in 2025?

Work hard to get where you want but keep perspective in your life. You are 100% replaceable at work, but you are never replaceable at home. Look after your mental health as you strive for success, the possibilities are endless.

 

Being a lawyer is and has been, a brilliant career, not without its challenges and very stressful at times. I am genuinely interested in the work I do and solving problems for clients., hether it is working out if the land has a right of way for the client’s intended purpose, or you manage to buy their dream property within the timescales imposed. Both my daughters say that they are proud of me. I am a ‘slay-mum’ which I think? is a good thing!

To talk to Kerry about rural and agricultural law, please get in touch here.