The survey found that proportion of male and female barristers who left the Bar between 1990 and 2012 to be relatively even, but AWL president Kate Ashmor labelled the results as ‘disingenuous’.
Ms Ashmor told Lawyers Weekly that the data collected was not qualitative, and failed to thoroughly investigate why woman are leaving the profession.

'No basis'

According to the survey, 30 per cent of the 177 females questioned (compared to 598 males) claimed ‘unspecified’ reasons for leaving. Ms Ashmor said the figure is too high to draw any conclusions on why so many were exiting, adding  that the NSW Bar’s assumption that the 30 per cent would fall into specified categories in proportion ‘has no basis’. ‘[The NSW Bar] is putting words in those practitioners’ mouths,’ Ms Ashmor said.
The NSW Bar Association is yet to comment.