Women in Law: Shianee Calcutteea, Partner – Mauritius
There are major strides being made in Mauritius to achieve gender parity, is there still work to be done in the legal sector?
Indeed, over the last decade, we have seen a tremendous effort by various governments to address gender parity. Whilst these efforts are to be lauded, we note that there are still very few women at the helm of organisations, and the legal sector is no exception. There are only a handful of female partners in law firms in Mauritius and though we have seen an increase in these numbers over the last few years (kudos to these ladies and the organisations), there is still work to be done to achieve a gender parity at the highest level.
Have you seen the initiatives having an impact on the number of women studying law and entering the legal profession?
It is encouraging to see more and more passionate women entering the legal field and practising in various arenas of law. I personally find it inspiring to see women entering the criminal bar, which has traditionally been a male dominated area and practising their profession with devotion.
What advice would you give to younger women aspiring to make a career in law?
Practise an area of law that you love, keep at it and be true to yourself.
Share a moment in your career where you experienced/confronted/overcame gender bias.
I have been lucky to grow up in times where much has been achieved in gender parity and to not have personally been stigmatised by being a woman.
Which women are you inspired by in your career? And why?
Baroness Hale of Richmond, for continuing the fight for gender parity in this modern age. Through her feats, she has shown us that it is possible to achieve what was once unachievable.
About Shianee Calcutteea
Shianee Calcutteea is a partner in our Mauritius office. She specialises in corporate law, banking law, mergers and acquisitions and compliance. Her experience has included advising on various corporate restructurings and share acquisitions in cross-border transactions. More recently, Shianee advised the first crowdfunding platform in Mauritius. She has an LLB (Hons) from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom, and completed a Bar Professional Training Course at the University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom.