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Legal leader and equality advocate I. Stephanie Boyce visited the School of Social Sciences in April to deliver the Annual Christabel Pankhurst Lecture, offering a powerful reflection on women, power and the unfinished fight for equality within the legal profession.

In her lecture, 鈥淧USHing for Justice: Women, Power and the Unfinished Fight for Equality,鈥� she reflected on leadership, power and persistence within a legal system that often rewards conformity while resisting structural change. Drawing on her own lived experience from growing up in a low鈥慽ncome, first鈥慻eneration British household on a council estate to leading the Law Society of England and Wales, she examined how inequality operates not only through access, but through culture, influence and accountability.

Central to the lecture was her lifelong mantra, P.U.S.H. 鈥� Persevere Until Something Happens - which she framed as an active commitment to challenging entrenched structures and resisting symbolic progress without substantive change. While acknowledging the importance of representation, she argued that equality cannot be measured by presence alone, but by whether institutions redistribute power and create conditions in which women, particularly those affected by intersecting inequalities, can thrive.

Reflecting on the legacy of Christabel Pankhurst, Stephanie reminded the audience that 鈥渏ustice is never given 鈥� it is claimed,鈥� drawing parallels between the suffrage movement鈥檚 insistence on deeds, not words. She highlighted ongoing challenges within the legal profession, including pay disparity, barriers to progression, workplace culture and access to justice.

The Q&A focused on leadership and conformity within the profession, routes into the judiciary, the future of equality and inclusion work, and the challenges facing students and early鈥慶areer researchers navigating insecure or unequal career pathways.

Responding to a question on whether the legal profession remains resistant to reform, Stephanie acknowledged the weight of tradition while noting that 鈥渟ome of what we protect as tradition now acts as a barrier,鈥� particularly when ideas about leadership and merit are narrowly defined. The discussion also addressed mentorship, solidarity and resilience. Speaking directly to students, she encouraged them to seek out allies, ask for support, and recognise that leadership is practised as much in everyday actions as in formal roles. Reflecting on her own journey, Stephanie noted that progress often depends on persistence over time, adding that her greatest hope is 鈥渘ot that I was the first, but that I am not the last.鈥�

The evening concluded with a networking reception, where attendees continued conversations sparked by the lecture.

Speaking after the lecture, Claire Fox, Director of EDI and Social Responsibility, School of Social Sciences said:

This year鈥檚 lecture reaffirmed the role of the Annual Christabel Pankhurst Lecture as a space for critical debate on equality, justice and democracy.