International Women’s Day 2026: Balancing the Scales – A Generational Dialogue on Gender Equity in Insolvency
06/03/2026
Contributors
- Hillary Orr RITF, Consultant at SV Partners
- Jessica Perri, Associate at Salea Advisory
In the lead-up to International Women’s Day 2026, this article features contrasting perspectives between Hillary Orr RITF and Jessica Perri. They explore how the insolvency profession has changed from an exclusive "boy’s club" to an increasingly inclusive field. While celebrating progress - particularly in moving away from the "tough guy" persona - they highlight remaining hurdles including the impact of caregiving responsibilities and the need for gender balance across the profession.
The International Women’s Day (IWD) theme for 2026 of “Balance the Scales” resonates within the insolvency and restructuring profession. The premise highlights the necessity of ensuring fair, inclusive, and accessible justice for women – a mandate that sits at the heart of insolvency, where practitioners often serve as the interface between legal mandates and human crises. For insolvency practitioners, balancing the scales is not merely a social objective; it is a professional evolution that has been decades in the making.
To explore this journey, ARITA spoke with two practitioners at different stages of their careers: Hillary Orr RITF, an insolvency pioneer, and Consultant at SV Partners, and Jessica Perri, an emerging leader and Associate at Salea Advisory. Their contrasting perspectives reveal a profession that has successfully removed many of the obvious barriers of the past, but continues to grapple with systemic hurdles regarding retention and supporting work-life balance.
The cultural shift to a new norm
The history of women in Australian insolvency is defined by a slow, often difficult move from exclusion to a wider acceptance. For Hillary Orr, who became the first female liquidator in South Australia in 1994, the early days were characterised by a complete lack of gender diversity and a somewhat rigid, formal hierarchy. In those years, women were largely confined to support roles, and the profession functioned as a "boy’s club," centered around long lunches and boardroom drinks.
Hillary recalls a workplace where gender defined one's visibility and even their wardrobe. "Trousers were frowned upon," she notes, explaining that they were deemed not "feminine enough" for the formal standards of the time. This cultural exclusion extended to basic social interactions, where junior staff were required to address senior partners as "Mister," a title that only gave way to first names once one reached senior management.
She attributes much of her early progression to key mentors who recognised her potential during a restrictive era for women in the field. Michael Mount – a highly regarded ARITA life member and stalwart of what was then the Insolvency Practitioners’ Association – was instrumental in providing her with numerous opportunities and supporting her application for a registered liquidators license. Described by Hillary as an "absolute technical whiz" regarding the Bankruptcy Act, Julie Short also served as a vital female influence, encouraging her to pursue her trustees license and acting as a sounding board for Hillary for many years. Julie was a highly respected senior officer at ITSA (the predecessor to AFSA) and subsequently a senior insolvency practitioner in the latter part of her career.
However, Hillary articulates the lived experience of being told to "keep your head down and only speak when spoken to" by recounting the approach to parental leave at the time.
"I remember when I had my first child, I was a senior manager at the time, and I was approached by one of the partners who said, 'Well, we've had a partners meeting, and we think that now that you've got a child, you really don't qualify for four weeks annual leave. We think it should only be two weeks, and that you keep the other two for if your child's sick and you have to go home or stay home and look after them’,” she reveals.
“And that was the insulting part, because I used to go in at weekends and work in the evening, and it was that assumption that immediately when you had a child, you became irresponsible and didn't really put in."
Contrast this to the experience of Jessica Perri, who entered a profession where female partners at top-tier firms and women-led boutique practices are increasingly common. For Jess, the path was paved by those who fought the battles she knows through history. While she acknowledges a gender imbalance still exists in the male-dominated field, Jess views female leadership not as an anomaly, but as a standard.
“There's a lot of inspiring women in the industry. I can see there's multiple female partners at top tier firms. There are women starting their own insolvency firms. There's been two former ARITA presidents,” Jess states.
“There are very knowledgeable and supportive women in insolvency law as well who support us daily and help us in our role.”
The persistence of the caregiving penalty
While the overt sexism of earlier eras has faded, the "Balance the Scales" mission remains incomplete, particularly regarding the retention of women at senior levels. Both contributors identify the "on-call 24/7" nature of insolvency as a significant barrier for those with caregiving responsibilities.
Hillary points out a structural flaw in the path to becoming a registered liquidator: the requirement to perform a high number of hours at a senior level over a five-year period, with these criteria nearly impossible to meet for those working part-time – a group that remains disproportionately female, especially if they choose to have children. The SV Partners Consultant also notes that even when women do opt for a four-day week, they often end up working for five days for four days’ pay, due to the fixed dates and time-critical nature of court appointments and voluntary administrations.
Jess echoes these sentiments: "Insolvency can be quite a demanding profession and it's very time-sensitive. So, as you progress, it may be difficult for some to find that work-life balance without the right tools and support systems in place."
In this context, the focus is shifting toward wellness and structural flexibility. Hillary champions the use of joint appointments as a way to ensure that the burden of being "on call" does not fall on a single individual, allowing practitioners to have downtime without the administration suffering. Furthermore, there is a growing recognition that "balancing the scales" requires men to be equally involved in the caregiving sphere. She notes that the modern generation of male practitioners is increasingly vocal about wanting to be present for important moments in their child’s life, such as presentations at school assemblies, a shift that benefits the entire profession by normalising flexible work for everyone.
“I've actually over the years heard men say, ‘Well, I never got to really know my children. I feel like I missed out’ … I think that's changed as the modern generation with families that have children, both partners want to be involved more these days,” Hillary adds, before also noting the need for improved work-life balance for everyone in the profession.
"I would like to see a lot more women in the industry, but I would also like to see people taking a step backwards and taking some time to focus on themselves... Life is much more of a rat race than it used to be, and I think at the expense of people's mental health and their physical well-being as well."
Deconstructing the "tough guy" persona and accessible justice
A core component of the "Balance the Scales" theme is making justice accessible. In insolvency, this often requires practitioners to move beyond the "bad guy" perception that has plagued the profession and traditionally been viewed as a prerequisite for the job, defined by stereotypical male characteristics such as assertiveness and a thick-skinned insensitivity. Both Jess and Hillary dispute the need for a tough guy persona, arguing it is both a myth that practitioners – male and female – need to behave this way, and is a hindrance to achieving successful outcomes in administration.
Jess for example suggests the "human element" is the most valuable skill a practitioner can possess. The ability to balance technical legal requirements and practical realities of an appointment with empathy allows for better communication outcomes with stakeholders who are often experiencing the most stressful periods of their lives. She suggests that being "sensitive" or "supportive" is not a weakness, but a strategic advantage that helps find resolutions.
"You've got that bad guy perception a lot of the time. And especially for women, it can be seen as quite a job where you've got to be the tough guy, or you've got to be that type of person. But in reality, once you work in the industry, you realise it's not... If you've got that balance, I think it can be a positive for anyone; that you can be emotional, supportive, and understanding while also getting your job done,” she states.
Hillary meanwhile provides a poignant example of how a woman’s perspective directly facilitates accessible justice. She recalls the story of a woman who had survived extreme domestic violence and specifically sought out a female trustee because she was too terrified to deal with a male professional or confront her male ex-partner. She outlines how she was able to act as a "cushion” during the process, taking the brunt of the ex-partner's aggression to secure an unpaid Family Court settlement and the survivor’s exit from bankruptcy.
While acknowledging there are situations where people involved in an insolvency would prefer to talk to a male, she also believes from first-hand experience that some transgender people, particularly when transitioning from male to female, would feel more comfortable talking to a woman. This is the "Balance the Scales" theme in action: providing a pathway to justice that recognises the unique vulnerabilities of women.
A profession in transition
As we approach International Women’s Day 2026, the stories of Hillary Orr and Jessica Perri remind us that progress is both a legacy and a daily practice. We have moved from a time when a woman was a subordinate who couldn't wear trousers, to a time where the "human element" of the profession is celebrated as a core soft skill of the profession.
However, "Balancing the Scales" requires more than just cultural acceptance; it requires a structural rethink of how we measure ‘merit’ and ‘availability.’ By fostering mentorship, embracing joint appointments, and prioritising mental well-being, the insolvency profession can ensure that the justice it provides is as fair and inclusive for its practitioners as it is for the stakeholders they serve. The credibility gained through memberships in organisations like ARITA must continue to include a commitment to these evolving standards of equity.
UN Women Australia announced “Balance the Scales” as the official theme for International Women’s Day 2026, highlighting the need to ensure fair, inclusive, and accessible justice for every woman and girl. Learn more here.