Top lawyers urge judges to leave all-male Garrick

A group of more than 60 lawyers in England and Wales has called on all judges who are members of the men-only Garrick to resign from the club immediately, claiming membership is "incompatible with the core principles of justice, equality, and fairness".

- Amelia Gentleman, Haroon Siddique

In an open letter, the barristers, solicitors and legal professionals say they have been concerned by recent reports in the Guardian naming dozens of senior figures within the judiciary as current members of a club which has repeatedly blocked attempts to allow women to join.

The letter, organised by the barristers Charlotte Proudman and Elisabeth Traugott, and whose other signatories include Schona Jolly KC, Michael Mansfield KC and Leslie Thomas KC, says: "The Garrick Club, along with its associated ethos, embodies a social and gendered ideology that starkly contrasts with the reality of the modern courtroom.

It stands as a symbol of an entrenched anti-woman tradition comprising predominantly white male membership. We are concerned that membership perpetuates systemic discrimination against women within the highest echelons of societal influence.

"Maintaining membership at the Garrick Club is fundamentally incompatible with the core principles of justice, equality, and fairness, particularly for senior members of the judiciary who significantly shape jurisprudence on gender-based discrimination and inequality and gendered crimes of violence and abuse." The letter notes that efforts to improve the judiciary's poor diversity record have had limited success.

"Female judges remain a minority, particularly women of colour, despite efforts to increase greater diversity and inclusivity," it notes.