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Capping tax-free pension contributions is deterring lawyers from ‘immensely prosperous’ private practice from applying for the bench, the Lord Chief Justice said.
Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd told the House of Lords Constitution Committee that the cut to the £40,000-a-year cap for those earning more than £150,000 in last July’s budget had significantly reduced the financial attractiveness of the Bench.
He said the pension change, coupled with relatively low pay and increasing volumes of work, was making it difficult to recruit and retain judges.
His words came after the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) rejected a call to give High Court judges a 3% pay rise.
Granting a 1% rise for all judges, the SSRB said a 3% rise would be ‘unfair and divisive’ and have a detrimental effect on the motivation and morale of other judges.
Capping tax-free pension contributions is deterring lawyers from ‘immensely prosperous’ private practice from applying for the bench, the Lord Chief Justice said.
Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd told the House of Lords Constitution Committee that the cut to the £40,000-a-year cap for those earning more than £150,000 in last July’s budget had significantly reduced the financial attractiveness of the Bench.
He said the pension change, coupled with relatively low pay and increasing volumes of work, was making it difficult to recruit and retain judges.
His words came after the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) rejected a call to give High Court judges a 3% pay rise.
Granting a 1% rise for all judges, the SSRB said a 3% rise would be ‘unfair and divisive’ and have a detrimental effect on the motivation and morale of other judges.
Far-ranging month for the Chair of the Bar
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the most recent data on alcohol misuse in the UK, and the implications for alcohol testing in family proceedings
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how tailored financial planning can help barristers take control of their finances and plan with confidence
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
In this wide-ranging interview, Professor Jo Delahunty KC, Family Law KC of the Year, talks to Anthony Inglese CB about the values that shaped her, the moment she found her vocation and, in an intensely personal call to arms, why time is running out for the legal aid Bar
Is the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office process fit for purpose? Women barristers’ experiences of bullying are not being reported or, if they are, they are not making it through the system, says Tana Adkin KC
Thomas Roe KC and Andrew O’Kola respond to an article by Dr Leonardo Raznovich (Counsel , October 2025) – ‘Privy Council colonialism? Piercing the constitutional veil’
Chair of the Bar reports back
The client’s best interests could be well-served by sharing the advocacy with junior counsel more often than you might think – Naomi Cunningham and Charlotte Eves explore some less orthodox ways to divide the speaking role
