Post by The Law Society

The diversity statistics from the Judicial Appointments Commission published this week highlight ongoing disparities in the judiciary. ⬇️ Women accounted for 55% of recommendations and ethnic minority candidates 18%, but Black judges represent just 1.6% of the judiciary.     Solicitors made up 44% of applicants but only 31% of recommendations.    While we celebrate this incredible achievement and the hard work of those appointed, there still remains a lack of diversity in the judiciary.  ⚖️ Increasing this representation helps ensure judicial decision-making reflects the needs of society. Our president Mark Evans says: “Significant progress is still required...The representation of Black legal professionals on the bench has remained stubbornly stagnant for over a decade.” We’ll continue to advocate for improved judicial diversity by sitting on the Judicial and Legal Diversity Board and actively promoting relevant initiatives such as the Pre-Application Judicial Education Programme to help solicitors from under-represented groups feel more confident about applying for judicial roles. For more information on judicial pathways: https://ow.ly/lBZy50Zmmgc