On the 16th June 2016, Jefferies’ Brooke Robdrup-Kilgour was invited to attend an event at the Supreme Court as part of the First Hundred Years project. The project charts the journey of women in law since 1919 to present day. 1919 was the year that women were allowed to first become lawyers due to the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act.
The tour began with a talk in Court 1, where significant cases of national public or constitutional importance are heard. The talk highlighted the importance of the project and also paid tribute to Frances Murphy, a Partner at Slaughter & May who had sadly passed away in May 2016. Brooke and the rest of the guests were then treated to an impromptu talk on how the Supreme Court works by Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court.
Brooke was then shown around the remaining courts and the fantastic Library, which is usually only available to Supreme Court Justices and their Judicial Assistants. The Library houses a historic coat of arms on the ceiling and the furnishings throughout were chosen by Lady Hale, Deputy President of the Supreme Court, proving that a woman’s work is never done!
Brooke along with Jefferies’ Partner Stella Young enjoyed lunch in the Reading Room of the Law Society in Chancery Lane, which would not have been possible even as recently as 20 years ago! As although women were given the right to practice Law 100 years ago, they were not permitted to use the Reading Room for another 80 years.
Brooke, after 7 years of hard work and determination qualified as a solicitor on the 7th of July 2016, 97 years after Madge Easton Anderson qualified as the first female solicitor in the UK. Brooke not only studied Law, but she also made sure to gain on-the-job experience through extensive work experience alongside her degree and Legal Practice Course.
Brooke joined Jefferies as a Trainee in the Family Department in 2014; Brooke was immediately recognised for her dedication to the profession and her natural flair for Family Law and has continued to flourish during her 2 year training contract. We are very proud and happy to announce that on receiving her qualification, Brooke has been offered the role of Assistant Solicitor in the Family Department. We are sure that Brooke will make her mark in the Legal World and who knows maybe she’ll even get a mention at the Bicentenary!