*/
Efforts to broaden the profile of the Bench appear to be working, with more women and black and ethnic minority (“BME”) lawyers applying for judicial office.
New research, produced by the Judicial Appointments Commission (“JAC”) and the MoJ, compares current selections with those made prior to the establishment of the JAC, and includes analysis of the number of women and BME candidates over the last ten years.
Since the JAC was set up in 2006, more women and BME lawyers than before have applied for judicial roles and more women have been appointed. The number of successful BME candidates has remained constant.
Karl King, a member of the Bar Council’s Equality and Diversity Committee, said: “It is important that there is a widening of the take up across the range of judicial posts therefore we are pleased to see some increase in the number of candidates applying. Although the numbers in relation to BME appointments are static there must be some encouragement that in the future this will improve.”
Baroness Prashar, Chair of the JAC, said: “This analysis is a major breakthrough. For the first time we have the facts that show progress has been made and dispels the myth that progress of judicial diversity has been stemmed. More importantly it provides a clear and agreed benchmark to measure future trends.”
The JAC has also published the results of the latest round of applications for District Judge (Civil) posts. The number of applications has doubled on the previous round in 2007–08, with 505 candidates for 81 vacancies.
Applications from BME candidates have more than trebled, the number of applications from solicitors doubled, and both BME and solicitor candidates increased their share of the final tally.
Solicitors and barristers notched up similar success rates this time—in the last round 13 per cent more barristers were selected.
New research, produced by the Judicial Appointments Commission (“JAC”) and the MoJ, compares current selections with those made prior to the establishment of the JAC, and includes analysis of the number of women and BME candidates over the last ten years.
Since the JAC was set up in 2006, more women and BME lawyers than before have applied for judicial roles and more women have been appointed. The number of successful BME candidates has remained constant.
Karl King, a member of the Bar Council’s Equality and Diversity Committee, said: “It is important that there is a widening of the take up across the range of judicial posts therefore we are pleased to see some increase in the number of candidates applying. Although the numbers in relation to BME appointments are static there must be some encouragement that in the future this will improve.”
Baroness Prashar, Chair of the JAC, said: “This analysis is a major breakthrough. For the first time we have the facts that show progress has been made and dispels the myth that progress of judicial diversity has been stemmed. More importantly it provides a clear and agreed benchmark to measure future trends.”
The JAC has also published the results of the latest round of applications for District Judge (Civil) posts. The number of applications has doubled on the previous round in 2007–08, with 505 candidates for 81 vacancies.
Applications from BME candidates have more than trebled, the number of applications from solicitors doubled, and both BME and solicitor candidates increased their share of the final tally.
Solicitors and barristers notched up similar success rates this time—in the last round 13 per cent more barristers were selected.
Efforts to broaden the profile of the Bench appear to be working, with more women and black and ethnic minority (“BME”) lawyers applying for judicial office.
Chair of the Bar reflects on 2025
Q&A with criminal barrister Nick Murphy, who moved to New Park Court Chambers on the North Eastern Circuit in search of a better work-life balance
Revolt Cycling in Holborn, London’s first sustainable fitness studio, invites barristers to join the revolution – turning pedal power into clean energy
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, reflects on how the company’s Giving Back ethos continues to make a difference to communities across the UK
By Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
AlphaBiolabs has made a £500 donation to Sean’s Place, a men’s mental health charity based in Sefton, as part of its ongoing Giving Back initiative
Little has changed since Burns v Burns . Cohabiting couples deserve better than to be left on the blasted heath with the existing witch’s brew for another four decades, argues Christopher Stirling
Six months of court observation at the Old Bailey: APPEAL’s Dr Nisha Waller and Tehreem Sultan report their findings on prosecution practices under joint enterprise
Despite its prevalence, autism spectrum disorder remains poorly understood in the criminal justice system. Does Alex Henry’s joint enterprise conviction expose the need to audit prisons? asks Dr Felicity Gerry KC
With automation now deeply embedded in the Department for Work Pensions, Alexander McColl and Alexa Thompson review what we know, what we don’t and avenues for legal challenge
Why were some Caribbean nations given such dramatically different constitutional frameworks when they gained independence from the UK? Dr Leonardo Raznovich examines the controversial savings clause
