JAC study shows marked increase in successful female candidates
Women are outperforming men in judicial appointments up to and including the High Court, according to the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC).
They made an impressive showing in selection processes in the six months between October 2011 and March 2012, securing 43% of district judge (civil) roles, even though they made up only 19% of those eligible to apply.
This adds a further 24 female judges. As of April last year, 113 of the 440 district judges (civil) were women.
Exactly half of deputy immigration and asylum judge roles went to women, although they made up only one in five of those eligible to apply.
Women were successful in more than half of salaried and fee-paid social-entitlement judge selections, and fee-paid immigration and asylum judge selections.
The results were published last week in JAC’s latest six-monthly statistics, which record 13 large selection exercises, of which four involved full-time salaried roles.
Christopher Stephens, chairman of JAC, says: “[Women’s] strong performance in competitions for entry- and middle-level roles bodes well for the future if they choose to seek more senior positions.
“The government’s commitment to more salaried part-time working at senior levels should also help make a difference for women and other groups.”
Women were selected above, or in line with, their levels in the eligible pool for other selection exercises, with one exception—circuit judge (heavyweight crime), for which only 18 women applied out of 126 applicants.
Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) candidates also performed consistently above or in line with their levels in the eligible pool in the recorder, district judge (civil) and other judicial exercises.
Solicitors accounted for 73% of district judge (civil) selections.
Justice minister Lord McNally says: “This report is very encouraging and I am pleased progress is being made.
“We are keen to see a more diverse judiciary that is more reflective of our society, without diluting the very high quality of judges we already have. However, we must not rest on our laurels and it is important that all involved in the appointments process continue to build on the achievements to date.”
