International Women’s Day event, ‘Break the Bias’ and racial equality

Tuesday 8 March 2022, 5.30pm-7pm

The NSW Bar Association’s Diversity and Equality Committee is pleased to host this year’s International Women’s Day event, which will be focused on issues of racial equality at the Bar.

The keynote speakers, Judge Yehia SC of the District Court of New South Wales and Sally Penni MBE, a distinguished UK barrister, will discuss racial inequality and steps which can be taken towards eliminating it.

Judge Dina Yehia SC was appointed as a Judge of the District Court in 2014, is a co-founder of the Walama List sentencing court, and is the Chairperson and Board Member of Diverse Women in Law. She holds an Arts/Law degree and a Masters in International Criminal Law, and has previously worked at the Western Aboriginal Legal Service, and as a Solicitor Advocate with the Legal Aid Commission. She was appointed to the Bar and worked as a Public Defender, and became Senior Counsel in 2009.

Judge Yehia SC will speak about the overrepresentation of First Nations people in the criminal justice system, the establishment of the Walama List, as well as the obstacles facing women of colour in the profession and the issue of intersectionality.

Sally Penni MBE has been a barrister for 21 years in Manchester and London, is one of the Masters of the Bench at Gray’s Inn, and is a renowned advocate for racial equality in the justice system. She is the founder of Women in the Law UK, an organization inspiring, supporting and connecting women lawyers through education and professional development. She is the author of sixteen books, the host of the major podcast Talking Law with leaders in law, and the host of the Law and Guidance Podcast about the practice of law. Outside of the Bar, she is a board member of The Advocate’s Gateway, a trustee of the Access to Justice Foundation, and is on the Advisory Board of Salford University and the Companion of Charted Management Institute.

Sally Penni MBE will speak about her experience facing professional obstacles in the United Kingdom, and will outline some of the initiatives adopted in that jurisdiction to combat prejudice and promote racial equality, diversity and inclusion at the UK Bar and in its courts.

It will be a great opportunity to reflect on what further steps we can take to continue to promote diversity at the Bar and in the justice system.

This event will be hosted by Melanie Cairns and Uche Okereke-Fisher of the NSW Bar’s Diversity and Equality Committee.