Male Champions for Change


The WLC welcomes members of all genders, encourages all perspectives and remains a Committee dedicated to the cause of women lawyers. In this respect, the WLC recognises and seeks to enhance the role of male champions for change as catalysts for the goals described above. This page summarises why this is important and what the WLC proposes specifically regarding the ‘Male Champions for Change’ Initiative.

Male Champions for Change Ambassadors

Why?

  • The role of women lawyers as leaders in the IBA WLC is natural. It is incumbent upon women lawyers themselves to take the lead in promoting the WLC’s goals as stated above.
  • Nonetheless, the reality in many jurisdictions is that male lawyers are still at the forefront of the legal profession; they hold many of the leadership positions at commercial law firms and in public practice.
  • This is, precisely, a reflection of the lack of gender equity in the senior echelons of the legal profession.
  • Thus, to expedite the processes that will lead to positive change, the role of male leaders cannot be understated.

We aim to:

Engage Male Leaders in Promoting Gender Equity

  • Engaging male leaders in promoting gender equity is a recognised best practice in this field. There are numerous initiatives and specific actions that can be implemented to strengthen the role of these male champions in achieving our stated objectives.
  • The WLC should compile and actively promote these practices as part of its ongoing work.
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Summary of the proposal for the IBA WLC

The Male Champions for Change Initiative consists of creating a ‘WLC Male Champions for Change Ambassador Corps’, comprised of initially ten but up to 20 Ambassadors, all being highly recognised male law firm and legal sector leaders from around the globe with a proven track record of promoting the goal of achieving gender equity in the legal profession. The Ambassador Corps will consist of IBA members who will also need to be members of the WLC. The Corps will consult on a permanent basis with the WLC and have the following functions:

  • To serve as a sounding board for the WLC’s Officers on its programmes and initiatives, providing insight, advice and best practices from the viewpoint of male law firm and legal sector leaders; to do so, the Ambassador Corps will meet twice a year online or in person (where possible) with WLC Officers to discuss the committee’s Terms of Reference, and to set specific objectives and goals to further the initiative;
  • To act as ‘ambassadors’ in promoting change in the legal profession, as needed, and where needed;
  • To participate as speakers and moderators in seminars, IBA sessions and roundtables on gender equity issues as male advocates for gender equity in the legal profession;
  • Specifically, to participate as facilitators and moderators of periodic Male Champions for Change Roundtables organised by the WLC, such as those referred to in the resources cited in this document, and in doing so promote best practices, such as those outlined in the Law Society of England and Wales ‘Male Champions for Change Toolkit’ (2018) and similar resources;
  • To serve as a pool of future WLC male officers, as the need arises (though it is intended that the wide majority of IBA WLC officers will always be women, it is possible that additional male officers will be needed from time to time; hence, the Male Champions for Change Ambassador Corps will help to source qualified male candidates for any such officer positions, when the need arises); and
  • All other specific functions as the WLC may determine from time to time.

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