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Lady Hale became the first female President of the Supreme Court and Sir Ian Burnett was sworn in as the youngest Lord Chief Justice for half a century, at the opening of the legal year.
At a ceremony at the Supreme Court, Lady Hale said it was a ‘historic day for the court’. Welcoming the appointment of Lady Black to the 12-strong bench, she said: ‘It’s a particular pleasure to welcome at long last another woman member to the court. I hope it won’t take another 13 years before we have a third, fourth and fifth member of this court.’
Lord Mance was sworn in as the court’s Deputy President and he called Lady Hale’s appointment a ‘first in many ways’.
He said: ‘She was not only one of the first justices of the Supreme Court and its first female justice, but today she becomes our first female president – indeed, the first female to head the UK’s highest court in any of its manifestations at any time.
‘She has been, and is, a role model for many, as well as a tireless promoter of women, as well as other under-represented groups in the judiciary and among lawyers.’
Lord Lloyd-Jones and Lord Briggs were also sworn in as new justices, with Lord Lloyd-Jones also making history by taking his oath in English and Welsh.
In a separate ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice, Sir Ian Burnett wassworn in as Lord Chief Justice. Aged 59, he took up the position following the retirement of Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, who had been in the post since 2013.
After both ceremonies, Hale and Burnett attended a service in Westminster Abbey to mark the opening of the new legal year.
At her first news conference since taking up the new post, Lady Hale called for more women to be recruited to the country’s top court and vowed to avoid ‘the special place in hell’ for those women who ‘pull up the drawbridge’ behind them.
She also spoke in favour of reforming the divorce laws to remove any need to show fault, and to reinstate legal aid for early legal advice.
Lady Hale became the first female President of the Supreme Court and Sir Ian Burnett was sworn in as the youngest Lord Chief Justice for half a century, at the opening of the legal year.
At a ceremony at the Supreme Court, Lady Hale said it was a ‘historic day for the court’. Welcoming the appointment of Lady Black to the 12-strong bench, she said: ‘It’s a particular pleasure to welcome at long last another woman member to the court. I hope it won’t take another 13 years before we have a third, fourth and fifth member of this court.’
Lord Mance was sworn in as the court’s Deputy President and he called Lady Hale’s appointment a ‘first in many ways’.
He said: ‘She was not only one of the first justices of the Supreme Court and its first female justice, but today she becomes our first female president – indeed, the first female to head the UK’s highest court in any of its manifestations at any time.
‘She has been, and is, a role model for many, as well as a tireless promoter of women, as well as other under-represented groups in the judiciary and among lawyers.’
Lord Lloyd-Jones and Lord Briggs were also sworn in as new justices, with Lord Lloyd-Jones also making history by taking his oath in English and Welsh.
In a separate ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice, Sir Ian Burnett wassworn in as Lord Chief Justice. Aged 59, he took up the position following the retirement of Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, who had been in the post since 2013.
After both ceremonies, Hale and Burnett attended a service in Westminster Abbey to mark the opening of the new legal year.
At her first news conference since taking up the new post, Lady Hale called for more women to be recruited to the country’s top court and vowed to avoid ‘the special place in hell’ for those women who ‘pull up the drawbridge’ behind them.
She also spoke in favour of reforming the divorce laws to remove any need to show fault, and to reinstate legal aid for early legal advice.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, discusses what family law professionals need to know about hallucinogens, from the main hallucinogenic drugs encountered in family proceedings, to their effects and the testing options available
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Developing a tech start-up demands a different definition of excellence to the Bar, says Saara Idelbi. The co-creator of Advocatr on entrepreneurship, AI advocacy training, and matching the thrill of a killer cross-examination
At the start of her term, Chair of the Bar 2026 Kirsty Brimelow KC set out a series of priorities for the year ahead. One of those priorities was children in the justice system
As the world becomes more digital, Barbara Vinagre Mota examines international research into the mental health consequences of judges’ exposure to graphic and immersive evidence, highlighting the importance of support systems
Reviewed by Daniel Barnett
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC
