The Law Society of Ireland has launched a new gender, equality, diversity and inclusion task force.

It says the task force comprises sixteen members from various minority, disability, LGBT+ and socio-economic backgrounds.

"The Task Force will make recommendations to encourage more female solicitors and solicitors from diverse backgrounds to seek leadership roles in the Law Society’s Council and Committees.

"The Task Force will also create useful tools solicitors can use to help achieve equality, diversity and inclusion within their firms. The Law Society President Patrick Dorgan has made diversity and inclusion an important theme for his year in office."

Law Society Director General Ken Murphy says the Irish solicitors' profession is already leading the way to gender equality.

“In 2014, we became the first legal profession in the world to have a female majority. Last year 52% of our members were women,” he says.

“Currently 34% of partners in the largest seven firms in the country are women. In one firm this figure is 44%. Last year 37% of new partners in Irish law firms were women,” he said.

Mr Murphy says these figures show some improvement for gender equality but there is more work to do.

“We are constantly working to improve access to the profession and representation of women and diverse groups. Initiatives such as the Law Society’s Law and Women Mentoring Programme and the Access Programme support our equality and diversity goals.”