7 August 2015

The Law Society of Scotland has found a shocking 42 percent pay gap between male and female solicitors in Scotland.

While at the beginning of their careers there is not much pay difference, the research found that from the age of 36, women are paid an average of £18,000 a year less than men.

Janet Hood, convener of the Law Society of Scotland’s equality and diversity committee said: “There are many and nuanced reasons why the gender pay gap exists, and the legal profession is certainly not alone – figures from November 2014 show that the overall UK gap was 9.4%. However we have seen little change in the past decade compared to other professions such as accountancy or dentistry so it is a major concern that such a substantial gap persists 45 years after the UK Equal Pay Act and after a decade of Law Society equality research and promoting good practice within the legal profession”.