England: Men’s club with judges among members to begin accepting women
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Women will now be allowed to join an exclusive London club which was at the centre of controversy after it emerged that senior judges and lawyers were among its membership.
The Garrick Club, founded in 1831, was accused in an open letter signed by dozens of senior lawyers of embodying “a social and gendered ideology that starkly contrasts with the reality of the modern courtroom”.
It came after The Guardian revealed the club’s membership included a UK Supreme Court judge, five Court of Appeal judges, eight High Court judges and around 150 KCs, as well as many elite non-legal figures.
The letter, whose signatories included the likes of Dr Charlotte Proudman and Jolyon Maugham KC, called on all judges, whether full-time or fee-paid, to resign their membership of the Garrick Club “with immediate effect”.
Club members yesterday voted to allow women to be admitted as members, the BBC reports.
Previous proposals to amend the club constitution to allow for women members failed to reach a necessary two-thirds majority. However, senior judges advised the club that amendments to the constitution were not necessary, allowing yesterday’s motion to pass with just 60 per cent in favour.
According to the BBC, the club now takes the position that the word “he” in its constitution should be read in a gender-neutral way.
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