Skip to content
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
  • Home
  • Your complaint
    • Your complaint
    • Start your complaint
    • Online Complaint Form
      • Online Complaint Form
      • Step 1
      • Step 2
      • Step 3
      • Step 4
      • Step 5
      • Step 6
      • Step 7
      • Submission Temporarily Unavailable
      • Online complaint form temporarily unavailable
    • Case studies
      • Case studies
      • Amy's story
      • Nisha's story
      • Jackie's story
      • Colin's story
      • Amir's story
      • Rachel and Matt
      • Paul's story
      • Ryan's story
    • Complaints Process
      • Complaints Process
      • Eligibility
      • Mediation
        • Mediation
      • Investigation
      • Determination
    • Action we might take
    • Appeal a decision
    • Further information
      • Further information
      • Time limits
      • Third Party Complaints
      • Complaining to a lawyer
        • Complaining to a lawyer
        • Complaint template letters
      • Need advice?
      • Complaint forms
      • Fees and billing
      • My lawyer has gone out of business
    • Other types of complaint
      • Other types of complaint
      • Handling complaints
        • Handling complaints
        • What is a handling complaint?
        • When can I complain
        • Handling complaint process
        • Action we might take on a handling complaint
        • Our recommendations
        • Make a handling complaint
          • Make a handling complaint
          • Handling Complaint
            • Handling Complaint
      • Approved Regulator complaints
        • Approved Regulator complaints
        • What is an Approved Regulator complaint?
        • When can I make an Approved Regulator complaint?
        • Approved Regulator complaint process
        • What action can we take?
        • Make an Approved Regulator complaint
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • For lawyers
    • For lawyers
    • Guidance advice and tips
      • Guidance advice and tips
      • Preventing complaints
        • Preventing complaints
        • Competence
        • Communications
        • Diligence
        • Respect
      • Improve your complaints process - statutory guidance
        • Improve your complaints process - statutory guidance
        • Introduction to this guidance
        • How do the Law Society Rules and Guidance link together?
        • Why use this Guidance?
        • 6 principles of good complaint handling
          • 6 principles of good complaint handling
          • Principle 1 - An accessible process
          • Principle 2 - A user-focused process
          • Principle 3 - A timely process
          • Principle 4 - An objective process
          • Principle 5 - Focus on resolution
          • Principle 6 - Learning from complaints
        • The Complaints Levy
      • Practical tips to help you answer complaints
        • Practical tips to help you answer complaints
        • Engage
        • Explore
        • Respond
      • If we receive a complaint about you
        • If we receive a complaint about you
        • Complaints Process
      • Complaints training
      • Stay up to date
      • Best Practice Blog
      • Tools and resources for lawyers
        • Tools and resources for lawyers
        • Complaint log template
        • Complaint analysis tool
        • Terms of Business report
        • Price transparency report
    • The SLCC levy
    • Handling complaints - for lawyers
  • For consumers
    • For consumers
    • What to expect when using a lawyer
    • Consumer guides
      • Consumer guides
      • Buying and Selling a property
        • Buying and Selling a property
      • Making a will
        • Making a will
      • Executries
        • Executries
      • Family law
        • Family law
      • Charged with a crime
        • Charged with a crime
    • Legal words explained
    • Useful Links
  • About us
    • About us
    • Who we are
      • Who we are
      • Our Board
        • Our Board
        • Board Meeting Minutes
        • Responsibilities of Members
      • Senior staff
      • Our annual report
        • Our annual report
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Chair Foreword
        • 2023-24 Annual Report CEO’s introduction
        • 2023-24 Annual Report The SLCC at a glance
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our 2020-24 strategy
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our Board
        • 2023-24 Annual Report SLCC Consumer Panel
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our performance and improvement
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our customer service and accessibility
        • 2023-24 Annual Report You said, we did
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our oversight and outreach work
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our work on policy and reform
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our organisation
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our people
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our contribution to national performance
        • 2023-24 Annual Report Our statistics
        • 2023-24 Annual Report CEO’s closing remarks
        • Previous annual reports
          • Previous annual reports
          • SLCC annual report 2022-23
            • SLCC annual report 2022-23
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Chair Foreword
            • 2022-23 Annual Report CEO’s introduction
            • 2022-23 Annual Report The SLCC at a glance
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our Board
            • 2022-23 Annual Report SLCC Consumer Panel
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our performance and improvement
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our customer service and accessibility
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our oversight and outreach work
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our work on policy and reform
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our organisation
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our people
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our contribution to national performance
            • 2022-23 Annual Report Our statistics
            • 2022-23 Annual Report CEO’s closing remarks
          • SLCC Annual Report 2021-22
            • SLCC Annual Report 2021-22
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Chair Foreword
            • 2021-22 Annual Report CEO’s introduction
            • 2021-22 Annual Report The SLCC at a glance
            • 2021-22 Annual Report A year of change and more to come
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our Board
            • 2021-22 Annual Report SLCC Consumer Panel
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our performance and improvement
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our customer service and accessibility
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our oversight and outreach work
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our people
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our contribution to national performance
            • 2021-22 Annual Report Our statistics
            • 2021-22 Annual Report CEO’s closing remarks
          • SLCC Annual Report 2020-21
            • SLCC Annual Report 2020-21
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Chair Foreword
            • 2020-21 Annual Report CEO’s introduction
            • 2020-21 Annual Report The SLCC at a glance
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our Board
            • 2020-21 Annual Report SLCC Consumer Panel
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our ongoing response to Covid-19
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our customer service and accessibility
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our focus on early resolution
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our process improvement
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our staff and industrial relations
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our outreach and oversight work
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our contribution to national performance
            • 2020-21 Annual Report Our statistics
            • 2020-21 Annual Report CEO’s closing remarks
      • Our Strategy and Operating Plan
      • Our Performance
        • Our Performance
        • Past quarters performance
          • Past quarters performance
          • Q4 23-24
          • Q3 23-24
          • Q2 23-24
          • Q1 23-24
          • Q4 22-23
          • Q3 22-23
          • Q2 22-23
          • Q1 22-23
          • Q4 21-22
          • Q3 21-22
          • Q2 21-22
          • Q1 21-22
          • Q4 20-21
          • Q3 20-21
          • Q2 20-21
          • Q1 20-21
          • Q4 19-20
          • Q3 19-20
          • 2009-18 Performance Archive
            • 2009-18 Performance Archive
            • How to read our Statistics
      • Oversight & Research
        • Oversight & Research
        • Research & trends in practice
          • Research & trends in practice
          • Client Protection Fund
          • Master Policy
        • Audits & Trends Analysis
          • Audits & Trends Analysis
          • Law Society of Scotland trends analysis and audits
          • Faculty of Advocates trends analysis and audits
      • Our History
        • Our History
        • Our 15th anniversary
        • 15 Years Staff Stories
        • 15 years data
      • Equality
      • Reimagine Regulation
        • Reimagine Regulation
        • History of our proposals and the debate on regulatory reform
        • Our papers and articles on regulatory reform
    • How we are funded
      • How we are funded
      • Our budget
      • Previous budgets
        • Previous budgets
        • Previous budget consultations
          • Previous budget consultations
          • Budget 2008-2009
          • Budget 2009-2010
          • Budget 2010-2011
          • Budget 2011-2012
          • Budget 2012-2013
          • Budget 2013-2014
          • Budget 2014-2015
          • Budget 2015-2016
          • Budget 2016-2017
          • Budget 2017-2018
          • Budget 2018-2019
          • Budget 2019-2020
          • Budget 2020-2021 and strategy 2020-24
          • Budget 2021-2022
          • Budget 2022-2023
          • Budget 2023-2024
          • Budget 2024-2025
          • Budget 2025-2026
      • Our annual accounts
      • Previous annual accounts
    • Consumer Panel
      • Consumer Panel
      • About the Panel
      • Panel members
      • Consumer principles
      • Meeting minutes
      • Vulnerable consumers
      • Registers of Interest
      • Consultations and briefings
      • Demographics
    • Careers at the SLCC
      • Careers at the SLCC
      • Current vacancies
      • Job Applicants’ Privacy Notice
    • Rules, policies and publications
      • Rules, policies and publications
      • Our Rules
      • Policies
      • Previous versions of Rules
      • Updated SLCC Rules from 1 April 2023
      • Biodiversity Reporting
      • Board member expenses
      • Board Member Register of Interests
      • Board Standing Orders
      • Commissioners Payments and Reimbursement of Expenses Scheme
      • Gender Representation on Public Boards
      • Gifts & Hospitality Registers
      • Members' Code of Conduct
      • Public Services Reform Act
      • Risk Management Policy
      • Scheme of Delegation
      • Staff Code of Conduct
      • The SLCC's Governance Arrangements
      • Trade Union Facilitation Time
      • Law Society of Scotland consultation on price transparency
      • Law Society of Scotland consultation on Principles and Outcomes Focused Regulation
      • Law Society of Scotland consultations on Regulation in the 21st Century
      • May 2020 - Developing Scotland’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy consultation
      • Post-legislative scrutiny of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
      • Response to the Scottish Government consultation: Legal services regulation reform in Scotland
      • Response to the Scottish Solicitors’ Discipline Tribunal Rules Consultation 2019
      • Scottish Government Consultation on Scottish Court Fees
      • Scottish Government Consultation on the Draft Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Bill
      • Scottish Government’s consultation on the Licensed Providers Regulatory Scheme proposed by the Law Society of Scotland
      • SLCC response to Law Society of Scotland strategy themes consultation
      • 02 July 2019 SSDT consultation on standard of proof
      • Our legal panel
      • SLCC Equalities Report, May 2025
    • Privacy
      • Privacy
      • Privacy Notice
      • Under 16s' Privacy Notice
      • Cookies List
    • Sitemap
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • Accessibility
      • Accessibility
      • Other languages
      • Accessibility Statement
    • Freedom of Information
      • Freedom of Information
      • Exemptions
      • Charges
      • Right to Appeal
      • Environmental Requests
      • Reuse of Public Sector Information
      • Published Freedom of Information Responses
    • Our communication standards
    • Service Delivery Complaints
      • Service Delivery Complaints
      • CEO and Board complaints
    • Feedback
  1. Home
  2. About us
  3. News
  4. Blog: International women's day - how will you be celebrating?

Blog: International women's day - how will you be celebrating?

7th March 2018

The 8 March is International Women’s Day (IWD).

Its roots go back to 1908 when 15,000 women marched through the streets of New York demanding shorter hours, better pay and voting rights.

Today, it’s celebrated all over the world.

In Cuba – where IWD is a public holiday – it means a day off.  In Portugal, a bit of a street party (after the strikes and demonstrations).  Iceland - considered to be the most gender equal country on earth - celebrated IWD 2017 by making history on equal pay (by making employers prove they actually do it).

In Italy, ‘La festa della Donna’ has its own cake (champagne sponge with Italian lemon and cream, if you were wondering), an official cocktail (the Mimosa) and free entry to museums and galleries (lest history be forgotten in all the eating and drinking). Everything is yellow – the colour of the Mimosa – from flowers sold on street corners to restaurant table cloths. In the evening, women get together with friends, relatives and colleagues for one of the biggest nights out of the year.  The streets of cities from Milan to Palermo buzz with women-only dinners and parties.

By contrast, IWD falls fairly flat in the UK.  Commercially and culturally, it doesn’t seem to be on our radar.  But are we missing out?   Not just on a (spectacular sounding) cake but on time to reflect on the way forward and to draw energy from past achievements.

Globally, there has been enormous progress in the last century – universal suffrage, legislation on equal pay – yet, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), gender parity is still over 200 years away.  The WEF also notes that no nation on earth has yet closed the gender gap.  Iceland, Finland and Norway come closest.

In the UK, the pay gap currently stands at just over 18%.  At the BBC, the top-paid male star is paid more than four times the salary of the highest-earning woman. Women make up less than a quarter of UK board rooms and remain massively underrepresented in politics.  Most importantly, globally, domestic violence remains a leading cause of premature death amongst women.

A point made by the IWD campaign is that the 8 March isn’t owned by any one group.  It belongs to every workplace, family and community.  It also involves taking an honest look inside our own organisations.

So this week, we’re thinking about gender parity in the context of the work we do.

We’re an independent ombudsman scheme - the first point of contact for all complaints about lawyers in Scotland.  We’re the people to get in touch with if you feel that you’ve had inadequate service or you’re unhappy about the way a lawyer has behaved.

Something we’ve noticed recently is that women are much less likely than men to make a complaint to us about a lawyer.  57% of those who complain are men and just 42% are women. That’s despite the fact that men and women in Scotland are almost equally liked to have used a solicitor or advocate in the last year.

What’s interesting is that other ombudsman schemes have noticed the same thing.

So why is this?  Does it reflect different thresholds for what’s acceptable? Or is it an impact of other disparities?

We don’t have the answers, but because we know it’s an issue, we can start looking at ways to address it.  We’ll be making a bigger effort to let women – and the other groups who are less likely to come to us - know that we’re here, that our service is free and that we’re independent.

Shining a light on an issue is often the first step to doing something about it – that’s one of the ways we’ll be recognising IWD in 2018.

For my part, I also like the idea of celebrating the women in our own lives and the marks that they’ve made on progress.  We all know a few who deserve a toast, even if they’re not in the history books.

I’ll be making one to my grandmother – who took on the Bishop of her diocese in Derry in 1949 and refused to give up her teaching career after getting married – and another to my colleague who made a tiny piece of history last year when she became the first woman at the SLCC to take advantage of shared parental leave.

Because it’s not just the heavy bricks of history that help balance the scales.  Every tiny fragment of change has a weight of its own.

So I might not have a yellow table cloth on 8 March, but I’ll definitely be raising a few glasses.


BBC Article: What is the gender pay gap?

 

 

Additional

News Archive

  • 2025
  • 2024
  • 2023
  • 2022
  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
Complaints
  • Start your complaint
  • Handling complaints
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Service Delivery Complaints
Information and Privacy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cookie Policy
  • Freedom of Information
  • Sitemap
  • Accessibility Statement
Accessibility
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
Capital Building, 12-13 St Andrew Square
Edinburgh
EH2 2AF
enquiries@scottishlegalcomplaints.org.uk
Tel 0131 201 2130
Scottish Legal Complaints Commission
Copyright © 2025 Scottish Legal Complaints Commission