The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 – 100 Years On – Pump Court Chambers
‘This year marks the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919. This ground breaking Act of Parliament, which became law on 23 December 1919, allowed women to become Solicitors, Barristers, Magistrates and Jurors for the first time. The Act begins with the defining words “a person shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage from the exercise of any public function”. A sentiment which we take for granted nowadays but the first female jurors in England were sworn in on 29th July 1920. In the last 100 years, the legal profession has made progress in the pursuit of equality: the UK’s first female Prime Minister began her career studying for the Bar and our beloved first female President of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale has made her mark and taken every opportunity to develop equality within our legal system.’
Pump Court Chambers, 29th November 2019
Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com
