*/
The deputy president of the Supreme Court and the only woman among its 12 justices has spoken out against the ‘homogenous’ male, predominantly public school and Oxbridge make-up of the top judges.
Due to retirements, six posts at the UK’s top court will become available between September 2016 and December 2018.
‘If we do not manage to achieve a much more diverse court in the process of filling them, we ought to be ashamed of ourselves,’ Lady Hale told an audience at Birmingham University.
Hale suggested that a search committee could be created to help identify and encourage potential candidates.
Noting its all white and British make-up, she also suggested that the Judicial Appointments Commission should make greater use of the ‘tipping point’ or equal merit provision when appointing senior judges.
Under the Equality Act 2010, where two candidates are of equal merit, selection panels can choose the one from the less represented background in order to increase diversity.
Hale said that ‘diversity of background and experience’ as well as ‘excellence’ is important in appointments.
‘It really bothers me that there are women who know or ought to know that they are as good as the men around them, but who won’t apply for fear of being thought to be appointed just because they are a woman,’ she said.
Hale added that she would be ‘completely unembarrassed’ if she had been appointed because the ‘powers that be realised the need for a woman’, because, she said ‘they were right’.
‘We owe it to our sex, but also to the future of the law and the legal system, to step up to the plate,’ she said.
Her remarks may be seen as a rebuttal of her fellow justice Lord Sumption’s comments that it could take 50 years to achieve gender equality among the senior judiciary. He suggested that any move to hasten that could have ‘appalling consequences’ for the justice system.
Meanwhile, speaking at a conference on Women in Law, Hodge Jones & Allen partner, Sasha Barton, claimed that male barristers make ‘sexual jokes’ in court in order to ingratiate themselves with the predominantly male judges.
Barton said that women lawyers feel pressure to treat sexist comments as harmless banter for fear of being made to feel ‘prudish and humourless’.
The deputy president of the Supreme Court and the only woman among its 12 justices has spoken out against the ‘homogenous’ male, predominantly public school and Oxbridge make-up of the top judges.
Due to retirements, six posts at the UK’s top court will become available between September 2016 and December 2018.
‘If we do not manage to achieve a much more diverse court in the process of filling them, we ought to be ashamed of ourselves,’ Lady Hale told an audience at Birmingham University.
Hale suggested that a search committee could be created to help identify and encourage potential candidates.
Noting its all white and British make-up, she also suggested that the Judicial Appointments Commission should make greater use of the ‘tipping point’ or equal merit provision when appointing senior judges.
Under the Equality Act 2010, where two candidates are of equal merit, selection panels can choose the one from the less represented background in order to increase diversity.
Hale said that ‘diversity of background and experience’ as well as ‘excellence’ is important in appointments.
‘It really bothers me that there are women who know or ought to know that they are as good as the men around them, but who won’t apply for fear of being thought to be appointed just because they are a woman,’ she said.
Hale added that she would be ‘completely unembarrassed’ if she had been appointed because the ‘powers that be realised the need for a woman’, because, she said ‘they were right’.
‘We owe it to our sex, but also to the future of the law and the legal system, to step up to the plate,’ she said.
Her remarks may be seen as a rebuttal of her fellow justice Lord Sumption’s comments that it could take 50 years to achieve gender equality among the senior judiciary. He suggested that any move to hasten that could have ‘appalling consequences’ for the justice system.
Meanwhile, speaking at a conference on Women in Law, Hodge Jones & Allen partner, Sasha Barton, claimed that male barristers make ‘sexual jokes’ in court in order to ingratiate themselves with the predominantly male judges.
Barton said that women lawyers feel pressure to treat sexist comments as harmless banter for fear of being made to feel ‘prudish and humourless’.
Efforts continue on gender equality, support for the Bar, meaningful reform for the sector and advocating for the rule of law
To mark International Women’s Day, Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management looks at how financial planning can help bridge the gap
Casey Randall of AlphaBiolabs answers some of the most common questions regarding relationship DNA testing for court
Leading drug, alcohol and DNA testing laboratory AlphaBiolabs has made a £500 donation to Beatson Cancer Charity in Glasgow as part of its Giving Back campaign
Girls Human Rights Festival 2025: a global gathering for change
Exclusive Q&A with Henry Dannell
Marking Neurodiversity Week 2025, an anonymous barrister shares the revelations and emotions from a mid-career diagnosis with a view to encouraging others to find out more
Patrick Green KC talks about the landmark Post Office Group litigation and his driving principles for life and practice. Interview by Anthony Inglese CB
Desiree Artesi meets Malcolm Bishop KC, the Lord Chief Justice of Tonga, who talks about his new role in the South Pacific and reflects on his career
Sir Nicholas Mostyn, former High Court judge, on starting a hit podcast with fellow ‘Parkies’ after the shock of his diagnosis
Once you submit your silk application, what happens next? Sir Paul Morgan explains each stage of the process and reflects on his experience as a member of the KC Selection Panel
