Speaker: Elsa Trolle Önnerfors, Associate Professor (Docent) and Senior Lecturer in Legal History at Lund University.

‍

What was the lecture about?

The lecture – "Troublesome Women: Sweden's First Female Lawyers" (Besvärliga fruntimmer: Sveriges första kvinnliga jurister), after her book of the same name – gave a historical insight into women's path into the legal profession, the obstacles they faced and developments up to the present day, and ended with a discussion of women's place in today's legal profession.

‍

What did I learn?

Above all, I took away how late women gained access to the legal labour market relative to the long tradition of law, and that their establishment in the profession is therefore a relatively recent phenomenon. Although women today are in the majority on law programmes, they are still under-represented at the highest levels, where working conditions and expectations – not least long working hours – affect career choices. It became clear that the question of equality is very much alive and that role models play a central part in making opportunities visible and breaking norms.

‍

What am I taking with me into my studies?

The talk gave me a legal-historical perspective on the fact that the structures and norms of the law are historically shaped and still changeable – an insight close to the critical and functionalist approach I have worked with in, among others, AIoR-1 and the PCIL assignments. As a woman on my way into the profession, it was also a reminder that the development I am part of is both new and ongoing.

‍