The Bar Association began addressing the problems faced by female barristers in 1995 when it established a Gender Issues Committee. The Gender Issues Committee was later renamed the Equal Opportunity Committee (EOC) which, under the chairmanship of Michael Slattery QC, put in place a number of programmes to help women establish successful practices at the Bar.

In June 2004 Bar Council formally adopted the Law Council's Model Equal Opportunity Briefing Policy for Female Barristers and Advocates, which draws upon a policy drafted by the Equal Opportunity Committee and approved by the Bar Association on 23 October 2003.

The object of such policies is to change the attitudes of solicitors and do away with the gender inequality in briefing practices. Without being given an opportunity in the early years to hone one's advocacy skills at the Bar table, it is impossible to reach the level of excellence that makes a barrister desirable for briefing in more complicated matters later on. Hopefully, this will encourage more women to become barristers or advocates, and will encourage them to stay on in the profession, having joined it.