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More than 100 barristers and three solicitors were appointed to the hallowed rank of Silk.
Of the 237 applications, 107 were made up, a success rate of 45%.
Among those appointed, 25 were women, from the 48 who applied – the same number appointed last year. They included Justine Thornton, the wife of former Labour leader Ed Miliband, and Marina Wheeler, Boris Johnson’s wife.
Nine applicants who declared an ethnic origin other than white of the 32 who applied were sucsessful, compared with 10 out of 24 the previous year.
Nine applicants aged over 50 were appointed, the same as last year. The youngest successful applicant was 34 and the oldest was 57.
Overall, the figures released by the QC Selection Panel showed that applications for the quality mark have dropped dramatically, by more than half, over the past 20 years.
At the same time, the Queen approved the appointment of eight new honorary Queen’s Counsel: Professors Robert Blackburn, Adrian Briggs, Sara Chandler, Jonathan Harris, Ian Scott, and Clive Walker; international child specialist solicitor Anne-Marie Hutchinson and legal journalist Joshua Rozenberg.
The new QCs will formally become Silks at a ceremony before the Lord Chancellor later this month.
More than 100 barristers and three solicitors were appointed to the hallowed rank of Silk.
Of the 237 applications, 107 were made up, a success rate of 45%.
Among those appointed, 25 were women, from the 48 who applied – the same number appointed last year. They included Justine Thornton, the wife of former Labour leader Ed Miliband, and Marina Wheeler, Boris Johnson’s wife.
Nine applicants who declared an ethnic origin other than white of the 32 who applied were sucsessful, compared with 10 out of 24 the previous year.
Nine applicants aged over 50 were appointed, the same as last year. The youngest successful applicant was 34 and the oldest was 57.
Overall, the figures released by the QC Selection Panel showed that applications for the quality mark have dropped dramatically, by more than half, over the past 20 years.
At the same time, the Queen approved the appointment of eight new honorary Queen’s Counsel: Professors Robert Blackburn, Adrian Briggs, Sara Chandler, Jonathan Harris, Ian Scott, and Clive Walker; international child specialist solicitor Anne-Marie Hutchinson and legal journalist Joshua Rozenberg.
The new QCs will formally become Silks at a ceremony before the Lord Chancellor later this month.
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
