My friend wants to get a female solicitor as she thinks this will help a maternity case? yes/no or is male better?

[fizzymilk]

my friend wants to get a female solicitor for a maternity case as she thinks the solicitor will understand her situation and help fight the case better.

I told her that a male solicitor could be just as good as long as he's someone work orientated -strives on winning cases.He doesn't have to emotionally understand just understand case itself.

Whats ur thoughts?

I think if you get a decent solicitor then they will be able to work on your case even if they haven't personally experienced the situation.

Would you only choose someone who had personally been divorced for a divorce lawyer?

The most important thing is whether they have experience of dealing with similar kinds of cases.

Makes no difference what their sex is IMHO. In fact I have to say some of the most lacking in understanding that I have cone across are senior/professional women.

It's their ability to win not whether they feel the same.

What the solicitor needs to understand is the law in this area. The employers actions as relates to that law are what matters, and emotional stuff largely doesn't.

Being either female or male won't help. Being a good lawyer will, with experience of similar cases ideally.

What Flowery said.

It does sound a bit like she might want to emotionally unload to her lawyer. This is fine, but bear in mind it's still all charged for and could result in a nasty bill. I sometimes say to clients upfront to bear in mind that I think I'm good value as a lawyer, but rather poor value as an untrained counsellor! A glass of wine for a friend costs a lot less than a lawyer who 'understands' you.

"Makes no difference what their sex is IMHO. In fact I have to say some of the most lacking in understanding that I have cone across are senior/professional women."

This.

fizzy I agree with you.

emsyj ???

Just agreeing with what you said - sorry, bit inarticulate!

Hmm last time I checked a penis wasn't a necessary attribute to be a good lawyer...

I've used four brilliant employment lawyers in the last few years (both work and personal) and it just so happened three were women and one was a man. They were all excellent and I'd happily work with all of them again.

I think it's important to feel you can talk to your lawyer and they understand you but their sex would not be something that would influence that relationship for me. In fact, the day I start thinking someone's sex makes a difference to their ability is the day I pack it all in.

And if it gets as far as tribunal a barrister could be engaged (often cheaper than solicitor) and as there are more men at the bar is likely to be a bloke.

emsyj that's ok then