Judicial diversity statistics are released

The number of women judges in both courts and tribunals has increased marginally by less than one per cent, according to the 2015 Judicial Diversity Statistics.

Currently, 43.8% of tribunal judges and 25.2% of court judges are women.

Overall, women account for eight out of 38 Court of Appeal judges, and 21 out of 106 High Court judges. The percentage of black and minority ethnic (BME) judges across courts and tribunals is unchanged at seven per cent.

The Bar is still the best route for a future judge—nearly two-thirds (64%) of judges in the courts, and nearly one-third (33%) of judges in the tribunals, are barristers.

This year’s statistics include, for the first time, a breakdown by age and region. Some 12% of judges across both courts and tribunals under 50 years of age are from a BAME background. More than half of all judges in courts and tribunals under the age of 40 are women.

In the introduction to the statistics, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas said: “I would like to see a greater number of solicitor, government legal service, CILEx and academic candidates applying.

“In addition to working with the Judicial Diversity Forum, the judiciary is continuing to engage with students and lawyers from non-traditional backgrounds through outreach events, work-shadowing, mentoring and the work of over 100 Diversity and Community Relations Judges from across England and Wales. These judges work hard to enhance judicial diversity by encouraging engagement by legal professionals, and community groups who are currently under-represented in the judiciary.”