76
No 1
PowerList 2008
government minister and the first female Attorney General, the
country’s chief legal adviser of the Crown, representing the Queen
and the government in court. But Lady Scotland is also incredibly
modest and self-effacing and expresses surprise that she has been
recognised as Britain’s most influential black woman.
‘I don’t think about myself in that way,’ she says, ‘but I was
criticised just last week for not thinking that way. Others say to me
I should be more obviously pleased about the fact that I seem to be
the first all the time.’
Her cream office follows a minimalist style with a striking vase
and a great red high-heeled shoe doorstop, though, she says she
wants to inject a little more va va voom into her surroundings.
She describes the Powerlist as ‘an important document because
people will understand the depth and breadth of talent in this
country.
‘It’s not acknowledged how different those skills are in terms of
the black community, so I think it’s a good opportunity for people
to get to know each other as well. Many people who come through
the system have the experience of being the one and only in their and to get the work on the basis of merit. We have introduced a
particular discipline, so to see the one and the only in all other process to monitor that and the people that are on our list will get
disciplines is a really great thing.’ positive and negative feedback. They can discuss that feedback with
Born in Dominica, Baroness Scotland is neither an Oxbridge us.’
graduate nor from a wealthy background, both of which often help She will regularly assess the data to understand why people are
if you want to become a top barrister, as does having the right getting work or not and seek reasons for those particular trends.
connections, so it comes as no surprise when she admits: ‘I didn’t Even though, as Lady Scotland acknowledges, the bar has changed
know anyone in law; getting a tenancy was quite a challenge.’ enormously, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.
And, even though she probably does not realise it herself, According to her, the reason there are so few senior black legal
professionals is simply because historically they have entered the
profession in smaller numbers. It is a state of affairs that she wants
‘I want to discharge my
to see change. ‘We have to raise aspirations for people to do law,’
she says. ‘We not only need to work with universities, but find out
duties with integrity
where these candidates are coming from in schools.’
She says the highlights of her career thus far are: ‘Introducing
and deliver a fair and
legislation to tackle international child abduction, forced marriage
and domestic violence. The contribution I have been able to make to
just system regardless
Family Law and Public Law in these areas has been greatly rewarding
– particularly through involvement in Child Abuse and Mental Health
of race, gender or any
Act inquiries.’
Three million women across the UK experience rape, domestic
other factor’
violence, forced marriage, human trafficking or other forms of
violence every year. Baroness Scotland is passionate about reducing
this and has begun an initiative that coordinates prosecutors
addressing all forms of violence against women so that expertise
it means that her ascension to one of the most important and and experience can be shared to improve service levels offered to
prestigious jobs in the country is nothing short of remarkable. Being victims and witnesses.
Attorney General is no stroll in the park. Sir Francis Bacon, a former Critics argue that efforts to curb domestic violence are having
incumbent, once described the job as ‘the painfullest task in the the reverse effect as fewer trials are being pursued. But the Attorney
realm’. Does Baroness Scotland feel under pressure to be better General responds: ‘There may have been a fall in the number of
than her predecessors? She smiles and calmly states that she has people going to the county court to apply for an injunction but this
always been committed to being the best. ‘I want to make sure that I could be because cases are going through the criminal courts.’ She
discharge my duties with the utmost integrity and deliver a fair and adds that progress has been made because, according to the British
just system irrespective of race, age, gender, or any other factor. As Crime Survey, ‘there has been a 59 per cent reduction in domestic
guardian of the public interest you need to be courageous enough to violence and because we now have specialist domestic violence
say what needs to be said.’ courts and an increased success rate so you’re getting 70 per cent of
In 2007, 11.3% of working barristers were from ethnic minorities. the cases ending in a successful conviction or plea of guilty. This is
Lady Scotland is keen to improve diversity and equality within markedly different to what we had before when I started doing this
the profession and has launched a strategy to ensure that counsel work in 2003.’
are more representative of the public. Her office has published an The tenth child in a family of 12, Baroness Scotland credits her
expectation document that focuses on the chambers of external family and faith for keeping her ‘sane’ while she was advancing her
counsel who undertake civil and criminal work for the government, legal career. She says the keys to success are courage, resilience,
emphasising that they should be exemplars of good practice on stamina and having a bit of a laugh. ‘You need to have a sense of
equality and diversity. Baroness Scotland is keen to stress that this humour; life is too serious to be taken seriously,’ says the lady who
is about employing the best from the widest talent pool. ‘We want to also lists dancing as one of the things she loves to do, and which,
make sure that these people have a fair opportunity to be identified come to think of it, is for an Attorney General, probably another first.
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