UK Law Articles
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The Times
May 2 1998
Record number of women take silk
TEN women - the highest number of female QCs to take silk at one time - were sworn in at a ceremony at the House of Lords yesterday.
Congratulating them and the 53 other new Queen's Counsel, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine of Lairg, spoke of what he looks for in a successful silk candidate: "The qualities I seek include legal, intellectual and advocacy ability, professional integrity and standing, maturity, and a high quality practice."
Noting the issues that played no part in the process, he said: "There is no mention of universities or chambers, sex or ethnic origin. Each one of you is here on your individual merits alone."
He added: "The consultation at the root of the silk exercise is entirely fair. It does not discriminate against those from particular backgrounds. Many women and members of the ethnic minorities have this year been able to win through and demonstrate that they are worthy of silk. The improvement has been slow, but seems to be well in place."
