This month saw the Law Society issue new diversity and inclusion guidance urging law firms to refrain from using “Dear Sirs” in their correspondence.
The phrase has been the go-to communication for addressing professionals in letters and emails for hundreds of years – dating back to a time when the sector was almost exclusively male.
In this opinion led piece, Kate Herbert, an Associate in the Knights Residential Property team in Leicester, illustrates her belief that this change has been a long time coming:
“I think this is a really important moment for the legal sector. The phrase “Dear Sirs” might seem quite harmless, but it’s haunted our letters and inboxes for decades which has sent an unintentional message about who’s included, and who isn’t. I think changing it is a simple, yet powerful signal that law is recognising the importance of diversity and moving towards a future of inclusion to embrace people from all different walks of life.
“Law has always been very traditional and I think there’s perhaps been a reluctance to change something that has seemingly worked ‘fine’ for all these years. However, there’s been a lot of lobbying and hard work in the background from a range of different people to move away from something that actively disregards every female lawyer out there and it’s amazing to see this has paid off.
“I think it’s a positive for the next generation of lawyers, especially women, that the profession is listening and changing – albeit very slowly. It’s a sign that these conversations are breaking through and starting to have that wider impact that’s healthy for our profession. It’s a real marker of progress.
“From my perspective, I’ve always found the phrase a bit offensive and have actively refrained from using it myself. In 2025, it feels like a ghost from a bygone era and as someone who works in Residential Property, it’s always seemed bizarre to have “Dear Sirs” as the standard correspondence because most conveyancers are actually women.
“I do think it’s funny that, as lawyers, we spend our entire careers drafting precise legal wording but, in truth, you could argue that it’s these smallest words that say the most about us. I’ve seen tremendous support for this change across social media but there are still some “Dear Sirs” slipping through the net, so it will be interesting to see how long it takes people to catch up.
“And that might take time as this has been in place since the dawn of time and in all honesty, it’s sad that it’s taken this long to implement. I know it will seem like such a small change to many, but it is one that will have big implications and ripples. I think the real impact will come from the conversations it starts. If this decision now prompts us to think about other ways which our traditions might unintentionally exclude others, then that’s meaningful change”
Concluding Kate added: “I think this change sends a positive message to clients and future lawyers that language matters – it’s a small reminder that language hasn’t always seen us as women, but it’s starting to. I think it also builds trust and sets the tone for the future of the profession and a step towards normalising what inclusion looks like in practice. It’s not a grand gesture but it does allow for consistent awareness. It’s a small but meaningful change but to see it formally addressed feels like a quiet but important win.”