SGN Hosts Inaugural Women in Law Forum 2026

At Solicitors Growth Network, one of our long-term goals over the last number of years was to host an SGN Women in Law Forum – an opportunity to bring female solicitors from across Ireland for a day of learning, connection and honest conversations about what it really means to be a woman in the legal profession today.

On Wednesday 10^th June 2026, that goal became reality, as we hosted a truly wonderful day at the Clayton Hotel in Cork City.

OUR Goal for our Women in Law Forum 2026

Our aim was to make this an event with a difference – not just another sit-and-listen CPD day, although getting the 5 hours of in-person CPD ticked off is certainly a bonus. We wanted to have a diverse range of guest speakers who could share their expertise on topics that would be of true value to the female solicitor of today, no matter what generation they may be. And more importantly, we wanted to provide the opportunity and safe space for real, candid conversations, ones that could potentially spark a movement towards positive change for Irish women in the legal profession.

No better champions of women in the legal profession than our SGN co-hosts, Helen Coughlan and Susan Webster. Helen and Susan took on the role of MCs for the day with great enthusiasm and we can all agree, they did a spectacular job.

For this event, we were so proud to be partnering with Women’s Aid. Solicitors often see the impact of domestic violence in their work every day. Through the QR code on the table, we were able to raise some much-needed funds for this charity which will go towards supporting their vital work in protecting women and families across Ireland. 

Our SGN Women in Law Forum 2026 – A rundown of the day

After a few housekeeping notes and a little taster of what to expect from the day, it was time to introduce our event sponsors, Currencies Direct who were represented by Margaret Horan and Maria Bray. Margaret spoke to us about how Currencies Direct help solicitors with transferring funds in a safe and secure way, through a multitude of difference currencies. Margaret also gave us a little sneak peek at their stunning hamper up for grabs (more on that later).

We were truly honoured to welcome the President of the Law Society of Ireland, Rosemarie Loftus, who took the time out of her busy schedule to be our keynote speaker. Her first words as she took to the stage were “Mná na Law” and her opening speech really set the tone for the day ahead. One of the main takeaways from Rosemarie’s talk was that the Law Society are here to support solicitors, men and women alike. She noted that historically there has been an “us and them” divide between the Law Society and solicitors, however that divide has to be bridged. She really wanted to drive home the point that the Law Society are here to support solicitors during all stages of their career, especially through Solicitor Services.  

Rosemarie’s keynote speech was always going to be a tough act to follow, but AI-enthusiast, Business and Mindset Coach, Catherine Tobin (and of course SGN’s CMO) took to the stage leading a much-needed and valuable discussion on Closing the AI Gap: Understanding Why and Knowing Where to Start. The first point Catherine outlined is that research is showing that women are less likely to adopt AI than men. However, this has nothing to do with ability and more to do with lack of confidence and time restrictions. Rather than bombarding us with loads of slides and tech-speak, Catherine tackled this gender gap from a mindset perspective, encouraging us to not be afraid of AI and gave us simple but practical ways that we can start using AI in legal practice so that we can gradually build up our confidence in these tools.

SGN Women in Law Forum 2026 – The morning sessions

Career Psychologist, Sineád Brady did a stellar job of keeping the momentum going for the next session. In her talk, Success on Your Own Terms – Reclaiming Your Career Without Losing Yourself, Sineád encouraged us all to think about what success can look like and how it can change as we move through the different chapters of our lives.

A particular point that stuck out from Sineád’s discussion was that success can be achieved by working on three elements – physical first, then personal, followed by professional.  Once you get all those three elements aligned, success is within your reach. However, success may look different to each individual person.  

Sineád also challenged us to consider what factors are driving capable solicitors away from leadership – and asked the question –  what needs to change to see more female solicitors in leadership roles?

Next up was somatic coach, Sarah Leather, who led a discussion on The Nervous System, Stress and The High-Performing Solicitor. Sarah explained how we all suffer stress in our lives, especially female solicitors who are juggling practice, family and everything between. This stress can have a huge impact on our bodies. Sarah shared some real stories from her own personal journey and how she has managed stress in her own life. And she showed us practical techniques that we can all use to manage stress, including some simple exercises that can even be done at our desks!

With three powerful sessions under our belts, it was time for our facilitated networking lunch. We had put together some talking points and conversation prompts for everyone as they headed downstairs for lunch and it was fantastic to see the chatter from table to table. With so many great conversations on the go, it was certainly a task in itself to gather everyone up for the afternoon sessions.  

SGN Women in Law Forum 2026 – The afternoon sessions

After lunch, there was also a queue of ladies ready for their photos to be taken in the Professional Headshot Station.

With that, Image Consultant and Stylist, Lynda Di Blasi took us through a discussion on Personal Brand and How You Show Up. Now this session wasn’t just about fashion, colours and shapes. It was about dressing with intention, showing up with confidence and understanding how your presence shapes the way people see you as a professional. Lynda took us through the looks and styles that can have a positive impact on our mindset, especially when it comes to leadership and she had brought in some beautiful staple pieces that everyone could include in their wardrobe. SGN’s Sarah volunteered to be in the hot seat as Lynda showed us the different colour palettes and explained the importance of finding the right palette for your complexion. To finish out her talk, Lynda gave us a quick demonstration on how to stand with authority and poise. This was particularly useful for those who wished to avail of Catherine’s Professional Headshot Station.  

Before diving into our final session, we had a quick coffee break as Margaret from Currencies Direct picked out a name out of the hat. The lucky winner was Karen O’ Neill from Gibsons and Associates who headed home with a beautiful hamper jam-packed with treats!

A little break before our Fireside Chat

Once topped up with tea and cookies, it was time for our final talk of the day. For our Generational Fireside Chat, we had a panel of women at different stages of their career. We were delighted to have Morette Kinsella from Parker Law, Emma Farrell from Patrick J Farrell and Isabelle Mannix from Ronan Daly Jermyn LLP joining us for this discussion. It was so interesting to see how legal practice has evolved for women in the last few decades. And given the intimate setting, people felt safe and encouraged to share their own experiences.

The biggest takeaway from this conversation was around the topic of maternity leave and how many female solicitors feel that they have to choose between motherhood and career progression. However, there were plenty of positive stories where male colleagues have been supportive and understanding of their female colleagues returning to work after having children.

One point that everyone could agree with – there needs to be more support from the Government in helping law firms to facilitate their female team members in taking adequate maternity leave without facing a financial burden.

This fireside chat could have continued for another two hours as there was definitely a sense that we were only tipping the iceberg with the issues that were being raised. But alas, we had to wrap it up, as Susan and Helen closed out the day with some final reflections.

SGN Women in Law Forum 2026 comes to a close

Despite the end of the sessions, It was reassuring to see people mingling and catching up before heading for home armed with their SGN goodie bags.

And with that, our first SGN Women in Law Forum was done and dusted. We are already excited for the future, especially as we would love to build on the momentum coming from the discussions that were had on the day.

As our co-host Helen Coughlan said: “Being part of the inaugural SGN Women in Law Forum was a genuinely special experience — the energy in that room was electric. What struck me most was the extraordinary honesty and openness of every woman present; there was a real sense that we were all there for each other, and that something meaningful was being built. It was an absolute honour to host the day that I believe marked the beginning of a genuine movement for women in the Irish legal profession.”

And fellow co-host Susan Webster echoed those sentiments: “Reflecting on this day last week and our first Women in Law Conference. A phenomenal day, energetic and informative, inspiring and fun! My take home was the power of women in the workplace and their fortitude in forging their own path. I feel this is often done in a quiet way by setting our own boundaries. A question I am pondering is how can we help each other speak out so that our voices (>50% of the profession!) are heard?”

Huge thank you to all our guest speakers, Rosemarie Loftus, Catherine Tobin, Sineád Brady, Sarah Leather, Lynda Di Blasi, Morette Kinsella, Emma Farrell and Isabelle Mannix. And we are so grateful to have had the support of Maria Bray and Margaret Horan from our sponsors, Currencies Direct Ireland.

Stay tuned, this is only just the beginning. In the words of Rosemarie Loftus – Mná na Law!

*The aim of our blog is to share valuable information and resources with our colleagues. Follow us on social so you get notified of our latest blogs.

To become a contributor to the blog, please contact info@solicitorsgrowth.com.