UK’s Under-represented groups will be better supported to become judges following the launch of a new action plan to increase diversity on the bench.
A series of measures are designed to encourage more women and people from BAME backgrounds, or with a disability to apply for judicial roles.
These include more flexible working hours, targeted guidance on applications, and a review of the eligibility criteria to ensure no one group is being unintentionally deterred from applying.
The plan has been drawn up by the Judicial Diversity Forum (JDF), which includes the Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice, the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) chair, and leaders from the legal professions. It was set up in 2019 to provide strategic direction for improving diversity and challenging structural barriers to the judicial appointment.
Today’s (17 September 2020) announcement comes as a new report, for the first time, combines the diversity data of the legal professions, judicial appointments and the judiciary. It revealed that while significant progress has been made – women remain under-represented in judicial roles, making up only 26% of more senior positions in the High Court and above. Meanwhile, despite the number of BAME judges increasing in recent years, they comprise just 8% of all court judges and 12% of tribunal judges.
“Encouraging diversity is vital if we are to have a legal system that truly reflects and represents the range of voices in our society.” said Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland QC.
The action plan also includes steps to boost the number of solicitors appointed to the judiciary parts where they are currently underrepresented.
