Statistics on the latest grants of patents of precedence show that a total of 61 legal professionals (both barristers and solicitors) put in applications this time around.

A total of 34, or just over half, were successful.

Of the applicants, 41 were barristers and 20 were solicitors.

A total of 24 male barristers and 17 female barristers applied.

Sixteen female and 12 male barristers were successful, meaning a success rate for barristers of 68%.

Lower success rate

Of the 20 solicitors who applied,  13 were men and seven were women. This means that only 30% of solicitors who applied for patents of precedence were successful – significantly lower than their barrister counterparts who enjoyed a 68% success rate. 

Of these, four women were successful, and two men.

Proportionally, women applicants were more successful in this round of recommendations.

Of the seven women solicitors who applied, four (57%) were successful, though only two men out of 13 male applicants (15%) were recommended.

Of 17 female barristers who applied, 16 were recommended (94%), while just half of 24 male applicants succeeded.