Bid to boost judicial diversity is launched

Posted By: James

Thursday 9th April 2015

An initiative that seeks to boost diversity among judges has been launched and will put lawyers with no judicial experience onto the benches of the high court. The drive to emphasise support for those from “non-traditional backgrounds” is to be led by the court of appeal judge Lady Justice Hallett and will provide a training course in an effort to increase the number of women, ethnic minorities and those from less advantaged backgrounds in the profession. The initiative will see 30 individuals selected to shadow a high court judge, with Judge Hallett saying it will “acquaint them with the culture and pace of the high court” and prepare them for the Judicial Appointments Commission’s selection process that will appoint up to 14 high court judges. It is noted that only 21 women and three people from ethnic minorities are among the 108 high court judges in England and Wales.

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