Dr. I. Stephanie Boyce, former president of the Law Society and Wales, in interviews with Justice News247.

The respected and prominent former president of The Law Society and Wales, Ingrid Stephanie Boyce responds to questions from the global British legal news agency Justice News247.

A personality with a career and leadership so needed in our days for integrity and professional probity in the legal and academic world, that wherever Stephanie is and when she speaks, it is enough to believe in justice and the legal profession just as Stephanie has dedicated her entire life to these values.

Q: Your statements are for justice, fairness, and accountability. Why do you think these depreciations exist and how do you see a solution?

I.S.B: In the jurisdiction of England and Wales successive governments have chosen to not invest in the justice system as they have our beloved National Health Service, NHS. Consequently we have a justice system in need of an overhaul.

Radical reform is needed to overhaul the justice system but this will not come to fruition without the investment and resources needed for a system on the brink of collapse. It is a lack of investment that has added to the state of justice, a failure to recognise and invest in one of the necessary pillars of a democratic society. We are where we are today because of decades of underfunding of our justice system, which has resulted in a chronic shortage of judges and lawyers, huge backlogs, crumbling courts and prison spaces running out. The solution cannot come without investment and radical reform.

Q: You are the person who has overcome some barriers of color and sex in the legal profession. Do you think it is possible for there to be more precedents?

I.S.B: Absolutely. My journey began on a council estate in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. England I am the daughter and granddaughter of Caribbean immigrants who came to the UK in search of faith, hope, greater opportunity and upward mobility. Growing up, I saw firsthand the barriers that can stand in the way of ambition—barriers of race, class, and expectation. But I also learned the value of perseverance and the power of believing that every door is open if you PUSH: Persevere Until Something Happens. My ascent to the presidency of the Law Society of England and Wales has shown others the possibility of perseverance and belonging.

Q: What does the legal profession look like now after your years of career, and where do you think the coming years will lead?

I.S.B: The solicitor profession is slowly but steadily increasing in diversity.

Data from the Solicitors Regulation Authority of 2023:

The proportion of women in law firms has risen from 48% in 2015 to 53% in 2023. The seniority gap for women remains but has narrowed slightly since 2015: 32% of full-equity partners (the most senior levels in law firms) are women, 47% of salaried partners are women, 62% of solicitors are women.

The proportion of Black, Asian and minority ethnic lawyers in law firms, has increased from 14% in 2015 to 19% in 2023. An increase in the proportion of disabled lawyers, from 3% in 2015 to 6% in 2023. However, there is still significant underrepresentation compared to 16% in the UK workforce. There has been a slight growth in lawyers who are lesbian, gay, bi or prefer another description over time, from 3% in 2015 to 4.4% in 2023. The proportion of lawyers from a professional socio-economic background has decreased from 60% in 2019 to 57% in 2023. Lawyers from an intermediate socio-economic background increased – from 5% in 2019 to 13% in 2023.These statistics provide a broad snapshot and are encouraging but demonstrates that more needs to be done to achieve a profession that is representative of the society we are seeking to serve.

Q: Is there a need for more efforts, voices, and attitude for the British legal world to be heard, due to the difficulties mentioned by you on various occasions?

I.S.B: I have spoken about the power of collective action and the need for voices to come together for meaningful change. It takes one person, one voice to bring about change but many voices can move mountains.

Q: .Do you promote dialogue and cooperation, and do you think there is a need for a closer connection with other legal systems in the consolidation and mutual understanding of the global legal world?

I.S.B: Absolutely, I am part of the Women Bar Leaders of the World, an initiative founded by the current President of the Paris Bar, Vanessa Bousardo. Through our collective actions and voices we can coordinate action and responses in our respective jurisdictions. This is also how the Law Society and many other bars and law societies around the world work ensuring legal services are accessible, freedom from persecution, among many things they advocate for as well as defending the rule of law globally.

Q: How do you see members of the British legal world being also members of legal academies or various professional organizations in Europe, for example, or other countries where there are differences in doctrine and practice?

I.S.B:  I see it as a good thing there is something powerful and liberating in sharing. We all have something to learn from each other and fostering a culture of cooperation and friendship is always a good thing.

Q: Could your vision, possibilities, social, political and professional context shape the near future?

I.S.B: I hope so.

My story is not just about one woman becoming the first person of colour to be President of the Law Society of England and Wales. It’s about resilience. It’s about community. It’s about injustice, and the power of persistence in the face of systems that are not always made for you. It’s about making space and leaving the door open behind you so others can follow. It’s about the four attempts it took me to get there, it’s about what it took to get there. A realisation that every door is open if you PUSH: “Persevere Until Something Happens. I hope my story and work continue to inspire and that’s why I am relentless in using my voice and platform to speak up on issues around unmet legal needs, the lack of access to justice, social mobility, the lack of public legal education and the persistent barriers of inequality.

Q: In conclusion, what does it mean to exist and to be named Ingrid Stephanie Boyce?

I.S.B: I absolutely believe in a life of service, to give back, to make my time in this world count and to leave it in a better place than I found it. More than ever the world is not always the place we would like it to be but we should always try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud as Maya Angelou urged us to. And that is what I am trying to do.

Thank you

An interview about professional integrity, present, future, and excellence with Dr. I.Stephanie Boyce (Hon. Causa)
LLB (Hons), LLM, DipICArb, FRSA, FKC
Honorary Professor of Law, KCL
Former President of the Law Society of England and Wales.

To contact the services provided by I. Stephanie Boyce:

“If you’d like me to speak at your event, please get in touch,
email: stephanie@istephanieboyce.com. Thank you.”