International Women’s Day at Brick Court Chambers

09/03/26

We spoke with Helen Davies KC, Sarah Love, Laura Newton and Joint Deputy Senior Clerk, Katie Szewczyk for this year's International Women's Day.

 

Interview with Helen Davies KC

Looking back to when you were called, what did gender representation at the Bar look like and what feels meaningfully different today?

Gender representation has dramatically improved since I was called to the Bar. At that time there had only ever been one female member of the Court of Appeal, a handful of female High Court Judges, and no female members of the House of Lords, now the Supreme Court. Brick Court had one female silk, and two other female juniors. There had never been a female Head of any of the Commercial sets. Whilst there still remains progress to made, today a number of our most senior Judges are female, there are many female heads of Chambers, including at Brick Court since 2013, and we have very many female members of Chambers, both silks and juniors.

What does visible female leadership at the Bar signal to the next generation?

I hope it signals that the Bar is a profession that embraces diversity and inclusion and is one in which success is truly a reflection of merit, and that the issues that have arisen in the past (including those highlighted in the Harman report) will not be tolerated in the future. 

How has the Bar improved in accommodating parental leave and is there anything still needs attention?

When I joined Chambers, it did not even have a parental leave policy. Now we have progressive policies which support all new parents to take parental leave, together more recently with a specific parental leave toolkit which we hope helps those contemplating taking leave to navigate doing so. We are also taking more active steps to assist those returning to work after parental leave, which is an area which across the Bar has received less attention. At Brick Court we are proud of the fact that every member of Chambers who has taken parental leave has returned to, and stayed in, practice in Chambers.  

What advice would you give to prospective female pupils?

Generally, the same advice that I would give to all prospective pupils. The Bar is a great profession that offers immense intellectual stimulation and satisfaction, with the added flexibility of being self employed. That flexibility is a real advantage for any with caring responsibilities, such as working mothers. However, when considering which Chambers to apply to, I would also suggest that female applicants should look at what proportion of female silks that Chambers has, and how many working mothers. Those can be a sign of how truly inclusive and supportive to its female members a Chambers will be. 

 

Interview with Sarah Love

What are the best aspects of your job?

The variety, the flexibility and the people.

My cases have spanned a wide range of different fields, including collective competition proceedings, pharmaceutical regulation, environmental law, human rights law, FRAND and digital markets. It’s great to experience so many different, interesting legal areas and it means that no one week is like another.

Flexibility is a huge advantage of self-employment and for me, as a mother of three children one of whom has significant additional needs, it’s indispensable. Without the ability to work frequently from home and to flex my hours, I wouldn’t be able to be present for many aspects of life with children – sports days, school meetings, music practice, listening to reading, the list is endless! – and still maintain a full-time practice.

Finally, I am lucky to work with leaders, juniors, clerks, instructing solicitors and colleagues who are not only very talented but also supportive. Litigation can be stressful: it’s fast-paced and complex, and in many of my cases the stakes for the clients are high. It really helps to be part of a cooperative and friendly team.

Can you tell us about a recent case that was particularly significant to you?

Given the variety of my practice, it is hard to single out a case so I will pick two different ones.

I recently acted for BT in Le Patourel, the first case under the new CPO regime to reach trial. The claim was dismissed and permission to appeal was refused. It was very satisfying to achieve that victory for BT, particularly as I had been involved through all of the ups and downs from the certification stage to the final determination. The case was also very interesting, raising complex points about excessive pricing and quantum.

Another recent case was an appeal on behalf of Myaware against negative final draft guidance by NICE relating to a new treatment for generalised myasthenia gravis. The appeal was upheld on two points, one of which was a rationality challenge by Myaware and the three other appellants. While I don’t know what the final outcome will be on remittal, it was a privilege to be part of something that could make a real difference to people living with generalised myasthenia gravis (who have limited treatment options) and I am delighted that there is another opportunity to try to get a positive recommendation.

How important is visible leadership for women at the Bar?

Visibility – whether in a leadership role or in lower-key ways – makes a massive difference.

From the moment I started mini-pupillage at Brick Court (sitting with Kelyn Bacon, who is now President of the CAT), I met women with flourishing practices, several of whom were juggling motherhood and work with great success. Since I have joined Chambers, many more have followed. It’s wonderful to have a network of women who are a source of practical support and advice, and I really hope that it gives the brilliant women who join Chambers the confidence that it gave me 20 years ago.

 

Interview with Laura Newton

Can you tell us about a case you have been involved in that was particularly meaningful to you, and explain why it had such an impact?

It is a common pre-conception that commercial work is dry and lacks human impact, but that has not been my experience. For example, I was instructed by a husband and wife who were facing a significant claim by their former business partner. It had the potential to be career-ending and life-changing for them and their young family. I worked with them over a period of years to defend the claims and advance a substantial counterclaim. The litigation was ultimately resolved before trial and they wept with relief at the positive outcome. It gave me a particular insight into, and appreciation of, the personal toll that litigation can take on our clients. It is a great privilege, as well as a considerable responsibility, to help people through what may be one of the most stressful periods and experiences of their lives.

Do you think the Bar has evolved in how it approaches career sustainability and flexibility?

Absolutely. When I started at the Bar, instructions often came on paper or by fax, and conferences with clients invariably took place in person in Chambers. Since Covid, working from home and working flexibly have been normalised, which offers great advantages - particularly to us as self-employed barristers, as we have such a degree of self-determination over where, when and how we work. As I have two small children, the ability to work from home enables me to juggle work and family life and makes it possible to work full-time in a fulfilling career whilst also feeling fully involved in my children's lives. I can't recommend the Commercial Bar highly enough as a career choice, particularly for people who also want to have a family. 

How important is visible leadership within the profession?

Hugely. To take just one aspect of that, the Commercial Bar remains very male-dominated, particularly at the top. We are so lucky at Brick Court to have a fantastic female co-head of Chambers, two outstanding female deputy senior clerks, and scores of female silks and practitioners who are at the top of their game professionally. The women in Chambers regularly get together for events to celebrate and support each other, and it is wonderful to see so many brilliant women thriving at all levels of Chambers. It can be a very welcome counterbalance to the regrettably still common experience of being the only woman in a courtroom, as well as a wonderful source of advice and support.

What is one piece of advice you would give to pupils, or those aspiring to become a barrister?

Pupillage is a steep learning curve and a challenging time, wherever one does it. But it is also a fantastic opportunity to get behind the scenes and learn from top practitioners in their fields, which is a degree of access one never has again in one's career. Pupillage is a chance to observe and learn from everyone you work alongside. Make the most of it by making notes of things to emulate (or not!) both in and out of court, and asking questions about how they manage their practice and life outside work. The people I learnt from during pupillage had and continue to have a big impact on my career.

 

Interview with Katie Szewczyk

How have perceptions of leadership within clerking evolved over the course of your career?

There is greater appreciation for different leadership styles, which has been partly driven by having supportive male leaders, but also by having more women in senior positions. Traits that may once have been overlooked, such as empathy, diplomacy, and being able to encourage others, are now recognised as fundamentally essential skills which are key to successful leadership.  

What do you wish you had known at the start of your clerking career?

That’s it’s ok to ask for help! One of the great things about being a clerk is being part of a team. Being able to recognise when you don’t have the answer and being able to utilize the skills of others in the team is a strength rather than a weakness.

What aspects of the culture at Brick Court Chambers contribute most to professional development?

It’s a very supportive environment, from the Head of Chambers and Senior Clerks down, where people genuinely want others to thrive. Having visible female leadership also matters. As well as having a female joint Head of Chambers, there are a number of females in senior positions in our clerking and staffing teams. Encouragingly, of our four most recent silks, there is an equal split between men and women, reflecting a positive shift towards greater balance at the highest levels. On a personal level, Brick Court has been incredibly supportive of flexible working which is essential for me as a working parent.