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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
Endometriosis Awareness North, a charity raising awareness of endometriosis and supporting those affected across the North of England, has received a £500 boost from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
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
Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice
Heritage as an anchor and a compass, finding our common humanity and embracing the power of the outsider – Melina Antoniadis’s lessons learnt
Switching from a physical blue book to OneNote is simple, secure and game-changing, says Elizabeth Bowden – you’ll wonder how you managed without it...
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
Review by Daniel Barnett
