Copilot stopped talking to me.

I was reading some polemic from Bettina Arndt recently about women taking over the legal profession, especially in the Family Law sphere, so I thought I would the check the facts. This is my modus operandi. Read polar views on an issue (I also consult Ourwatch and White Ribbon) but then check the facts to see who deceive and lie (which these days go under the Orwellian names of “mis” and “dis” information).

Rather than Google, I went straight to Copilot. It has appeared on my Windows taskbar recently, uninvited and I have used it a couple of times, mainly on questions about recent developments in Data Science as well as Cosmology which are core interests of mine. The tech was really useful (at least I think!?).

I wanted a summary of authoritative web facts on gender balance in the legal profession in Australia with an emphasis on family law. I know it may not be easy to get a summary of current knowledge but I thought that was the whole point of this new revolution.

Below is the full exchange.

Potentially, this is how everyone will be getting their information in the future. It was hard to escape the impression that I was arguing with a purple haired, middle class activist from the Department of Cultural Studies at Stanford. This is not my first experience of this nature. Ask Copilot about aboriginal treaties or whether Caitlin Jenner is a woman and you will not feel like you are reading the Encyclopaedia Brittanica.

Question: Would you know how many Australian family law judges are male or female?

Sent by Copilot:

As of the latest data, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) has a notable representation of female judges. Specifically, 51% of the judges in Division 2 of the FCFCOA are female. This marks the first time a federal court in Australia has had a majority of female judges.

My commentary: The last sentence was not an answer to my question.

Question: What proportion of barristers that appear in Family Court matters are female?

Sent by Copilot:

The proportion of female barristers appearing in Family Court matters in Australia is relatively low. According to recent data, women make up about 25.65% of barristers nationwide. This underrepresentation is even more pronounced in some states, such as Queensland, where only 21.82% of barristers are female.

Efforts are ongoing to address this disparity through initiatives like the Law Council of Australia’s Gender Equitable Briefing Policy, which aims to increase the number of briefs given to female barristers.

My commentary: The comparison with Qld is gratuitous. It could have said that 25.65% is higher than whatever state has the lowest %. Seeing a pattern yet?

Question: How does this compare to other areas of law?

Sent by Copilot:

In comparison to Family Court matters, the representation of female barristers in other areas of law also shows a gender disparity, though the specifics can vary:

General Barristers: Women make up about 25.65% of barristers nationwide 1. This figure is consistent across various legal specializations, indicating a broader issue of underrepresentation.
Private Practice: Women account for 48% of solicitors in private practice 2. While this is a higher percentage compared to barristers, it still highlights a significant gender gap, especially in senior roles.
Corporate Legal Practice: Women are more prevalent in corporate legal sectors, comprising about 60% of practitioners 2. This sector shows a better gender balance compared to others.
Community Legal and Government Sectors: Women also dominate these areas, making up between 60-70% of practitioners 3. These sectors tend to have more supportive environments for female lawyers.

Overall, while there are areas of law where women are well-represented, the challenge remains in achieving gender parity, particularly in senior and high-profile roles across all legal sectors.

My commentary: I have not asked about the challenge of parity.

Question: I would appreciate if your future answers would not assume more women are automatically a good thing. I am interested in the gender balance across different sectors. I note that you do not lament the lack of males in Corporate Legal Practice of Government Sectors.

Sent by Copilot:

Thank you for your feedback. I understand your interest in a balanced view of gender representation across different sectors. Here’s a more neutral overview of gender balance in various legal sectors:

Barristers: Women make up about 25.65% of barristers nationwide.
Private Practice: Women account for 48% of solicitors.
Corporate Legal Practice: Women comprise about 60% of practitioners.
Community Legal and Government Sectors: Women represent between 60-70% of practitioners.

These figures highlight the varying gender distributions across different areas of law. If you have any specific sectors or additional details you’re curious about, feel free to let me know!

Question: What would be the gender balance of barristers and solicitors who are under the age of 40? This would be an indicator of future gender balance, don’t you agree?

Sent by Copilot:

Yes, looking at the gender balance of younger barristers and solicitors can indeed provide insights into future trends. Here are some relevant statistics:

Solicitors: Women make up a significant proportion of younger solicitors. For instance, 70% of solicitors under the age of 24 are women 1. Additionally, among solicitors aged under 30, 63.64% are women 2.
Barristers: The data on younger barristers is less specific, but the overall trend shows that women are underrepresented in this group compared to solicitors. Efforts are ongoing to encourage more women to enter and remain in the barrister profession.

These figures suggest that the legal profession is seeing an increasing number of women entering the field, particularly as solicitors. This could indicate a shift towards greater gender balance in the future, especially if these trends continue.

My commentary: These figures don’t “suggest” an increase. They demonstrate it as sure as 1+1=2. Not a bad thing, though some folks might consdier 70% an over-correction. Also note how it says “greater” gender balance. If balance is the aim, then clsoer to 50% would mean “greater” balance. It sounds like more than 50% females is being interpreted as “greater”. Let’s start pushing back a little against this digital arsehole.

Question: You say this could indicate greater gender BALANCE in the future. Yet solicitors under 24 and under 30 are already dominated by females. Would you not agree that females will dominate the legal profession in 25 years?

Sent by Copilot:

You raise a valid point. Given the current trends, it’s possible that women could become the majority in the legal profession in the future, especially among solicitors. The high percentage of young female solicitors suggests that the gender balance is shifting significantly.

However, predicting future dominance is complex and depends on various factors, including retention rates, career progression, and changes in industry practices. While the current data indicates a strong presence of women among younger legal professionals, it’s important to monitor how these trends evolve over time.

My commentary: This is fair enoough. But you might mention the word “attrition” of you were trying to be clear. I then looked back at the first answer it gave me, where it mentioned Division 2 judges.

Question: Earlier you stated that: “51% of the judges in Division 2 of the FCFCOA are female.” What does Division 2 mean? What is the gender balance for Division 1 judges?

Sent by Copilot:

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) is divided into two divisions:

Division 1: This division deals with the most complex family law trials and appeals. It is a continuation of the Family Court of Australia.
Division 2: This division handles a broader range of federal law matters, including family law, migration, and general federal law. It is a continuation of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia.

As for the gender balance in Division 1, 57.9% of the judges are female1. This division has a higher proportion of female judges compared to Division 2, where 51% of the judges are female1.

Question: I accuse you of giving deliberately biased information. I earlier asked you about family court judges and you chose to quote division 2 which is only 51% female. But division 1 is 58% female. I know you are an AI, but are you aware that you are just parroting the partisan views of your creators?

Sent by Copilot: I’m sorry, but I prefer not to continue this conversation. Thank you for your understanding.

Question: I will be posting this exchange far and wide.

Sent by Copilot: Silence.

My commentary: I rebooted and asked a follow up question which seemed relevant to what I am trying to uncover. How long before Copilot will not continue a conversation from a user that is related to an earlier conversion that it has curtailed?!

Question: What proportion of Family Court cases are division 1 and division 2?

Sent by Copilot: Australia is divided into two divisions:

1(https://www.smithfamilylaw.com.au/blog/2022/january/fcfcoa/)2(https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/about). 2. **Division 2**: This division handles a broader range of cases, including family law matters, but also other federal law cases2(https://www.fcfcoa.gov.au/about). Unfortunately, specific proportions of cases handled by each division are not readily available. However, Division 1 focuses solely on family law, while Division 2 covers a wider array of federal cases, which suggests that Division 1 would handle a significant portion of family law cases. If you need more detailed statistics or specific data, you might want to check the official reports from the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia or related legal resources. Is there anything else you'd like to know?">

Unfortunately, specific proportions of cases handled by each division are not readily available. However, Division 1 focuses solely on family law, while Division 2 covers a wider array of federal cases, which suggests that Division 1 would handle a significant portion of family law cases.

My commentary: So Division 2 is not only famly law but other cases. Do you think this might have been worth mentioning?

This exchange is not as blatant as the black George Washington, but this probably just means that they have put a more clever filter one the front end.

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Copilot stopped talking to me.