*/
Efforts to improve judicial diversity have gained momentum in recent years, with growing recognition that a representative bench is essential for public confidence. That will not happen without focused work. To address this, the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) and its partners in the Judicial Diversity Forum (JDF) have implemented a range of initiatives and support pathways aimed at increasing appointments from underrepresented groups.
A key component of the JAC’s recent diversity efforts has been the Targeted Outreach (TO) programme. Managed by the Targeted Outreach and Research (TOR) team, this initiative provides tailored, short-term support to candidates from four underrepresented groups: women, ethnic minority individuals, disabled individuals and solicitors. The programme offers guidance on the judicial application process, with some candidates benefiting from one-on-one consultations with former JAC Commissioners. These sessions focus on career planning, confidence building and resilience strategies.
A further success has been the development of the Judicial Guide scheme – co-badged with the judiciary. Launched in 2021, the scheme supports candidates through the JAC selection exercise process as opposed to coaching courtcraft or judgment writing. The scheme is supported by 163 Judicial Guides – sitting judges across the courts and tribunals judiciary, who volunteer to support candidates through JAC application processes. Work with candidates includes interview skills, role plays, situational questions and interpreting feedback effectively.
These initiatives offer a structured pathway into the judiciary alongside support for existing judges from underrepresented groups seeking promotion. As a former JAC Commissioner supporting the TO programme, I have found many candidates come to me with misapprehensions and misunderstandings of JAC processes. To demystify these, I explain why selection tools are used, what panels look for and the place each selection tool has in the process. You can sometimes see the moment when candidates realise they have previously failed to evidence their skills and abilities effectively and instead have been using their available time or word count to talk up the profile of their work.
It can be very helpful to get a candidate to explain one of their competency examples by questioning them to draw out every single step they took. In my experience, candidates often underestimate the value of preparation and the time required. A valuable insight is realising that applications which are properly prepared can increase the chance of success and reduce knocks to confidence.
The data speaks volumes.* Since its inception, the TO programme has supported over 610 candidates. More than 395 candidates have received direct support from former JAC Commissioners, with the Judicial Guide scheme matching over 340 candidates to trained Judicial Guides. The Judicial Guide scheme and TO programme are also generously supported by senior members of the judiciary which has been of great benefit to our programme of work.
The impact of this support is apparent. Female candidates who participated in the TO programme have been recommended for judicial appointments at twice the rate of those who did not receive support. Over the last three years, Black candidates on the programme have been recommended at more than double the rate of Black candidates in the overall application pool.
One candidate, an ethnic minority employed barrister, shared their experience:
‘I was appointed a fantastic Judicial Guide... they did mock interviews with me. As an advisory lawyer, my Judicial Guide helped me understand how to phrase my competency examples... without their support, I don’t think I would have been successful.’
This emphasises the value of experience-based guidance where candidates not only benefit from practical advice but also from the confidence that comes with knowing someone believes in their potential.
Beyond immediate success rates, there are encouraging signs that these initiatives are beginning to shift the culture around judicial appointments. The presence of Judicial Guides itself signals a growing commitment within the judiciary to support diversity – the Judicial Guide scheme is one of several programmes supported by volunteer judges. Likewise, the collaborative nature of the JDF’s work, which connects organisations across the legal profession, is helping to create a more unified approach to tackling diversity challenges. The 2025 JDF Action Plan outlines a roadmap for expanding outreach and development opportunities, particularly for Black candidates whose progression remains disproportionately low.
There is also anecdotal evidence that the TO programme is helping candidates understand the demands of the application process. Through our range of in-person and online outreach events and online resources, we have been able to offer a bespoke understanding of the JAC selection process and structured development pathways that can support their preparation. As my fellow former JAC Commissioner Sarah Lee noted in a recent blog post, preparation is key: being a judge is an important role in our society, which means the selection process must be hard and testing. Without good preparation, candidates cannot expect to succeed – a critical takeaway from the TO programme.
While 257 TO participants have been shortlisted for selection days and 117 have been recommended for judicial appointment, these numbers represent only a small fraction of the overall applicant pool.
Research by the Legal Services Board in March 2024 highlighted that the representation of women and ethnic minority legal professionals ‘fluctuates but ultimately decreases along the pipeline from qualification to the judicial pool’, indicating that interventions need to start earlier in legal careers and be sustained over time.
The Judicial Diversity Statistics 2025 confirm progress for Black candidates remains limited, despite targeted efforts. This emphasises the need for more nuanced strategies that address the specific barriers faced by different groups and suggests that, while support at the application stage is valuable, it must be part of a broader strategy that addresses barriers across the different stages of a legal career.
To build on current successes, there are several steps which could be considered:
Work towards a more diverse judiciary is ongoing. Progress made by the TO and Judicial Guide initiatives demonstrate that with the right support, candidates from underrepresented backgrounds can and do succeed. As a former JAC Commissioner and supporter of the TO programme, I recognise that lasting change requires collective effort. No single organisation can transform the judiciary alone. It will take continued collaboration, innovation and commitment to ensure that the judiciary better reflects the diversity of the society it serves.
* Based on Targeted Outreach programme and Judicial Guide scheme data as of June 2025.
‘Judicial careers: advice for solicitor candidates’, former Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Commissioner Sarah Lee, JAC Blog, April 2025.
Profiling the diversity of the judicial talent pipeline, Report written by SQW for the Legal Services Board, March 2024.
Brie Stevens-Hoare KC was appointed to the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) as a professional (barrister) member from April 2018 until June 2024. Brie has practiced as a self-employed barrister since 1986 and took silk in 2013. She practises from Gatehouse Chambers and currently supports the JAC’s Targeted Outreach programme in her capacity as a former JAC Commissioner. Brie is involved with FreeBar, the LGBTQIA group and the Inns of Court Women’s Alliance.
Efforts to improve judicial diversity have gained momentum in recent years, with growing recognition that a representative bench is essential for public confidence. That will not happen without focused work. To address this, the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) and its partners in the Judicial Diversity Forum (JDF) have implemented a range of initiatives and support pathways aimed at increasing appointments from underrepresented groups.
A key component of the JAC’s recent diversity efforts has been the Targeted Outreach (TO) programme. Managed by the Targeted Outreach and Research (TOR) team, this initiative provides tailored, short-term support to candidates from four underrepresented groups: women, ethnic minority individuals, disabled individuals and solicitors. The programme offers guidance on the judicial application process, with some candidates benefiting from one-on-one consultations with former JAC Commissioners. These sessions focus on career planning, confidence building and resilience strategies.
A further success has been the development of the Judicial Guide scheme – co-badged with the judiciary. Launched in 2021, the scheme supports candidates through the JAC selection exercise process as opposed to coaching courtcraft or judgment writing. The scheme is supported by 163 Judicial Guides – sitting judges across the courts and tribunals judiciary, who volunteer to support candidates through JAC application processes. Work with candidates includes interview skills, role plays, situational questions and interpreting feedback effectively.
These initiatives offer a structured pathway into the judiciary alongside support for existing judges from underrepresented groups seeking promotion. As a former JAC Commissioner supporting the TO programme, I have found many candidates come to me with misapprehensions and misunderstandings of JAC processes. To demystify these, I explain why selection tools are used, what panels look for and the place each selection tool has in the process. You can sometimes see the moment when candidates realise they have previously failed to evidence their skills and abilities effectively and instead have been using their available time or word count to talk up the profile of their work.
It can be very helpful to get a candidate to explain one of their competency examples by questioning them to draw out every single step they took. In my experience, candidates often underestimate the value of preparation and the time required. A valuable insight is realising that applications which are properly prepared can increase the chance of success and reduce knocks to confidence.
The data speaks volumes.* Since its inception, the TO programme has supported over 610 candidates. More than 395 candidates have received direct support from former JAC Commissioners, with the Judicial Guide scheme matching over 340 candidates to trained Judicial Guides. The Judicial Guide scheme and TO programme are also generously supported by senior members of the judiciary which has been of great benefit to our programme of work.
The impact of this support is apparent. Female candidates who participated in the TO programme have been recommended for judicial appointments at twice the rate of those who did not receive support. Over the last three years, Black candidates on the programme have been recommended at more than double the rate of Black candidates in the overall application pool.
One candidate, an ethnic minority employed barrister, shared their experience:
‘I was appointed a fantastic Judicial Guide... they did mock interviews with me. As an advisory lawyer, my Judicial Guide helped me understand how to phrase my competency examples... without their support, I don’t think I would have been successful.’
This emphasises the value of experience-based guidance where candidates not only benefit from practical advice but also from the confidence that comes with knowing someone believes in their potential.
Beyond immediate success rates, there are encouraging signs that these initiatives are beginning to shift the culture around judicial appointments. The presence of Judicial Guides itself signals a growing commitment within the judiciary to support diversity – the Judicial Guide scheme is one of several programmes supported by volunteer judges. Likewise, the collaborative nature of the JDF’s work, which connects organisations across the legal profession, is helping to create a more unified approach to tackling diversity challenges. The 2025 JDF Action Plan outlines a roadmap for expanding outreach and development opportunities, particularly for Black candidates whose progression remains disproportionately low.
There is also anecdotal evidence that the TO programme is helping candidates understand the demands of the application process. Through our range of in-person and online outreach events and online resources, we have been able to offer a bespoke understanding of the JAC selection process and structured development pathways that can support their preparation. As my fellow former JAC Commissioner Sarah Lee noted in a recent blog post, preparation is key: being a judge is an important role in our society, which means the selection process must be hard and testing. Without good preparation, candidates cannot expect to succeed – a critical takeaway from the TO programme.
While 257 TO participants have been shortlisted for selection days and 117 have been recommended for judicial appointment, these numbers represent only a small fraction of the overall applicant pool.
Research by the Legal Services Board in March 2024 highlighted that the representation of women and ethnic minority legal professionals ‘fluctuates but ultimately decreases along the pipeline from qualification to the judicial pool’, indicating that interventions need to start earlier in legal careers and be sustained over time.
The Judicial Diversity Statistics 2025 confirm progress for Black candidates remains limited, despite targeted efforts. This emphasises the need for more nuanced strategies that address the specific barriers faced by different groups and suggests that, while support at the application stage is valuable, it must be part of a broader strategy that addresses barriers across the different stages of a legal career.
To build on current successes, there are several steps which could be considered:
Work towards a more diverse judiciary is ongoing. Progress made by the TO and Judicial Guide initiatives demonstrate that with the right support, candidates from underrepresented backgrounds can and do succeed. As a former JAC Commissioner and supporter of the TO programme, I recognise that lasting change requires collective effort. No single organisation can transform the judiciary alone. It will take continued collaboration, innovation and commitment to ensure that the judiciary better reflects the diversity of the society it serves.
* Based on Targeted Outreach programme and Judicial Guide scheme data as of June 2025.
‘Judicial careers: advice for solicitor candidates’, former Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) Commissioner Sarah Lee, JAC Blog, April 2025.
Profiling the diversity of the judicial talent pipeline, Report written by SQW for the Legal Services Board, March 2024.
Chair of the Bar sets out a busy calendar for the rest of the year
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Examined by Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
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AlphaBiolabs has announced its latest Giving Back donation to RAY Ceredigion, a grassroots West Wales charity that provides play, learning and community opportunities for families across Ceredigion County
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, outlines why barristers, solicitors, judges, social workers and local authorities across the UK trust AlphaBiolabs for court-admissible testing
Through small but meaningful efforts, we can restore the sense of collegiality that has been so sorely eroded, says Baldip Singh
Come in with your eyes open, but don’t let fear cloud the prospect. A view from practice by John Dove
Looking to develop a specialist practice? Mariya Peykova discusses the benefits of secondments and her placement at the Information Commissioner’s Office
Anon Academic explains why he’s leaving the world of English literature for the Bar – after all, the two are not as far apart as they may first seem...
Review by Stephen Cragg KC
