Strategies for Empowerment and Promotion of Female Advocates Within the Ambit of the Judicial System: Special Reference to Jharkhand High Court

The legal profession in India has historically been a male-dominated domain, and the Ranchi High Court (formerly the Jharkhand High Court) reflects this broader national trend. Even while there have been legislation and constitutional provisions that promote equality between the sexes, women advocates face a host of challenges within the Indian judicial system that range from gender discrimination to lack of mentorship and adequate infrastructural facilities and high-value cases being assigned to them. This review paper attempts to synthesise the existing literature on structural, socio-cultural and institutional challenges faced by women advocates in the Indian justice system, with particular focus on the Ranchi High Court. This paper seeks to suggest recommendations based on a literature review and feminist legal theory or institutional analysis to uplift women advocates in the Indian judiciary, generally with special emphasis on the Ranchi High Court. Hopefully, this paper will add to the existing literature on why gender equity is so important in the legal profession and serve as a guideline for reform at the High Court level in Jharkhand.