Dr Rita D’Alton-Harrison was commissioned to write an essay on ‘Black Women in the Law’ to appear in the programme for a new play ‘The Fellowship’ written by the award-winning playwright Roy Williams OBE

‘The Fellowship’ tells the story of two sisters who are children of the Windrush generation and grew up in London in the 1980s as black activists. Decades later their lives have taken different paths with one caring for their dying mother and the other enjoying a high-flying career as a lawyer. The sisters struggle to reconcile their past and reclaim the bond that they once shared.

Dr Rita D’Alton-Harrison’s essay provides some contextual information and commentary on the struggle of black women within the law. The essay takes an honest look at some of the challenges faced by black women in the legal profession based on official reports and statistics as well as exploring some of the positive initiatives taken by the profession to address some of those challenges. Rita also points to some of the black women role models to be found within specific branches of the legal profession.

The play is directed by Paulette Randall MBE who was the Associate Director for the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games and has various theatre credits to her name (including Shakespearean plays) and television work such Silent Witness, Death in Paradise and Holby City.

Rita’s essay is one of two commissioned for the play. The second is an essay written by Marcus Ryder, the Chair of RADA and the co-founder of the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity. Marcus Ryder’s essay addresses what it means to be ‘Black British’.

Roy Williams latest play ‘The Fellowship’ is on from 21 June until 23 July 2022. Further information is available here: https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2022/the-fellowship/.