Christabel Pankhurst Lecture 2026

Join us for the Annual Christabel Pankhurst Lecture as our guest speaker, trailblazing legal leader and equality advocate Dr I. Stephanie Boyce CBE FKC. reflects on what it truly means to lead as a woman within systems that too often reward conformity and resist change.

In “PUSHing for Justice: Women, Power and the Unfinished Fight for Equality,” Stephanie will draw on her lived experience – from growing up in a low-income, first-generation British household on a council estate to reaching national leadership – to examine how power operates within the legal profession. She will explore why progress for women remains uneven and how structural inequality persists even where representation has improved.

Using P.U.S.H. (Persevere Until Something Happens) as both a personal philosophy and a call to collective action, the lecture will examine the barriers women face in progression, pay, credibility, safety, and influence. Particular attention will be paid to the compounded impact of race, class, disability, and caring responsibilities, and why equality cannot be measured solely by access to the profession, but by women’s ability to shape decisions, culture, and the distribution of opportunity within it.

This lecture will challenge legal leaders, institutions, and allies to move beyond symbolism towards sustained structural reform – strengthening accountability, widening access to justice, and defending the rule of law – so that the next generation of women in law inherit not just open doors, but a profession redesigned for fairness, dignity, and lasting equality.

The lecture will be delivered as a hybrid event. Those attending online will be sent a separate online link closer to the event date. Online attendees will be able to submit questions via the Q&A function, which will be read to the speaker by a member of staff during the Q&A session.

The lecture will run for approximately 45 minutes, followed by a Q&A session, and will conclude with an hour networking reception for in-person attendees starting at 5:15pm.

We would just like to make you aware that the lecture will be professionally filmed and photographed, and camera footage may capture shots of the audience throughout the event and during the Q&A.

About the Speaker

Dr I. Stephanie Boyce CBE FKC. made history as the first person of colour and first Black President of the Law Society of England and Wales, leading the organisation through a period of significant change in the legal profession.

A respected solicitor, governance expert, and advocate for equality, diversity, and inclusion, Stephanie has dedicated her career to advancing access to justice and promoting ethical leadership. She is widely recognised for her strategic insight and unwavering commitment to ensuring the legal profession reflects the society it serves.

Stephanie continues to be an influential voice nationally and internationally, speaking on law, governance, ethical leadership, AI, and legacy, and inspiring others to persevere and lead with purpose. Her leadership philosophy is encapsulated in her mantra “PUSH: Persevere Until Something Happens,” reflecting her belief in resilience, representation, and the power of authentic leadership.

Planning your visit:

ACCESSIBILITY: Please contact [email protected] should you have any access requirements. The building is wheelchair accessible, with an accessible toilet in the basement.

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS: Please contact [email protected] if you have any allergens or requirements.

*Hosted by the University of Manchester School of Social Sciences*

*This event is free and open to the public*

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Host or Publisher University of Manchester School of Social Sciences