Levelling the Scales: Lucy Glyn on Women in Litigation Funding and Law

It is a cause for celebration that the proportion of female lawyers in UK law firms continues to rise: of all practising lawyers, 53% are now women while Black, Asian and minority ethnic lawyers comprise 19%, according to the latest data from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Reflecting on my own career, I recall a very different landscape. When I began practising in 2002, the industry was predominantly male, particularly in corporate law, where long hours and rigid office attendance were the norm. As a transactional lawyer, I spent a decade working at three prominent law firms: Dickson Minto, Pinsent Masons, and Linklaters. The concept of flexible working or alternative career paths was virtually non-existent for women, especially those balancing professional ambition with family life.

The world has moved on. More men are choosing to work from home and share domestic responsibilities with their partners: 25 years ago, that did not exist. The pace of change has notably accelerated in recent years, especially since the COVID pandemic. Today, we see more women progressing into partnership and leadership positions, driving forward a new era of inclusivity in law firms.

After Georgia Dawson became the first woman to lead a Magic Circle firm when she was elected senior partner at Freshfields in 2020, other women have held leadership roles at Magic Circle firms, including Linklaters, Slaughter and May, and Clifford Chance. Arguably, this reflects the shifting profile of their commercial clients: women now hold 45% of seats on the boards of FTSE 100 companies.

However, while progress in the legal sector is evident, litigation funding, a field that plays a crucial role in enabling access to justice, remains behind the curve. My experience in the sector over the past five years shows that it still lags some way behind the law firms which they serve.

Initiatives like The Equity Project, which funds cases led by female or racially diverse litigators, signal an awareness of the issue. Yet, visible change has been slow. A glance at the leadership teams of major litigation funders reveals a striking lack of gender diversity.

Personal experience reinforces this reality: too often, I find myself the only woman in a room full of male funders. At the IMN 3rd Annual International Litigation Finance Forum last October, the audience was overwhelmingly male. A small breakout session for women in the industry highlighted the stark reality—just a handful of us among hundreds of attendees.

Why does this matter? Because diversity is not just about fairness; it is a business imperative. Research consistently shows that gender-diverse teams are more innovative, efficient, and commercially successful. The litigation funding sector is no exception—women bring valuable skills and perspectives that enhance decision-making and risk assessment, as well as skills and attitudes that are not exclusively transactional.

So, what can be done? Law firms provide a useful model. Their progress has been driven by deliberate strategies—mentorship, inclusive hiring practices, targeted leadership development, unconscious bias training, and accountability through diversity targets. Litigation funders must now take similar steps, ensuring that recruitment, retention, and promotion policies actively support gender diversity.

This will not happen overnight. Change requires commitment and action. But as we have seen in law firms, sustained effort yields results. The litigation funding industry must now step up to the challenge—not only to foster equality but to unlock the full potential of the sector. Gender diversity is not just the right thing to do; it is smart business.