More women than men were called to the bar last year for the first time in the profession's history, according to statistics released last week.

The Bar Council's 2003 annual report revealed that 51% of people called to the bar last year were women, compared to 49% the previous year.

Women also took up almost half of all pupillages (47%), but still only account for slightly less than one-third of the practising bar - rising to 43% in the employed bar.

The report also revealed that almost one fifth of pupillages are held by individuals from an ethnic minority, a figure which has remained steady in recent years.

Some 10% of practising barristers are from an ethnic minority.

The most recent figures available for solicitors - up to July 2002 - showed that women accounted for 56% of admissions, while 16% were from an ethnic minority background.

Ingrid Simler, chairwoman of the Bar Council's equal opportunities and diversity (sex discrimination) committee, said: 'I am delighted to see the percentage increase which shows that women are coming into the bar in such strengths.

But our committee is very concerned that we are still not seeing the promised trickle up effect in relation to appointments to Treasury panels, silk and judicial appointments.

'There is a pressing concern about the numbers of women who leave the bar after five or six years in practice.'

A spokeswoman for the Bar Council said: 'It is good news that more women are coming into the bar, and Bar Council chairman Stephen Irwin QC wishes to improve the family-friendly policies available to women coming back into the bar after having left to have a family.

We are looking at initiatives to keep women in the profession in the long term.'

Rachel Rothwell