*/
More than 100 barristers and three solicitors were appointed to the hallowed rank of Silk.
Of the 237 applications, 107 were made up, a success rate of 45%.
Among those appointed, 25 were women, from the 48 who applied – the same number appointed last year. They included Justine Thornton, the wife of former Labour leader Ed Miliband, and Marina Wheeler, Boris Johnson’s wife.
Nine applicants who declared an ethnic origin other than white of the 32 who applied were sucsessful, compared with 10 out of 24 the previous year.
Nine applicants aged over 50 were appointed, the same as last year. The youngest successful applicant was 34 and the oldest was 57.
Overall, the figures released by the QC Selection Panel showed that applications for the quality mark have dropped dramatically, by more than half, over the past 20 years.
At the same time, the Queen approved the appointment of eight new honorary Queen’s Counsel: Professors Robert Blackburn, Adrian Briggs, Sara Chandler, Jonathan Harris, Ian Scott, and Clive Walker; international child specialist solicitor Anne-Marie Hutchinson and legal journalist Joshua Rozenberg.
The new QCs will formally become Silks at a ceremony before the Lord Chancellor later this month.
More than 100 barristers and three solicitors were appointed to the hallowed rank of Silk.
Of the 237 applications, 107 were made up, a success rate of 45%.
Among those appointed, 25 were women, from the 48 who applied – the same number appointed last year. They included Justine Thornton, the wife of former Labour leader Ed Miliband, and Marina Wheeler, Boris Johnson’s wife.
Nine applicants who declared an ethnic origin other than white of the 32 who applied were sucsessful, compared with 10 out of 24 the previous year.
Nine applicants aged over 50 were appointed, the same as last year. The youngest successful applicant was 34 and the oldest was 57.
Overall, the figures released by the QC Selection Panel showed that applications for the quality mark have dropped dramatically, by more than half, over the past 20 years.
At the same time, the Queen approved the appointment of eight new honorary Queen’s Counsel: Professors Robert Blackburn, Adrian Briggs, Sara Chandler, Jonathan Harris, Ian Scott, and Clive Walker; international child specialist solicitor Anne-Marie Hutchinson and legal journalist Joshua Rozenberg.
The new QCs will formally become Silks at a ceremony before the Lord Chancellor later this month.
Chair of the Bar reflects on 2025
Q&A with criminal barrister Nick Murphy, who moved to New Park Court Chambers on the North Eastern Circuit in search of a better work-life balance
Revolt Cycling in Holborn, London’s first sustainable fitness studio, invites barristers to join the revolution – turning pedal power into clean energy
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, reflects on how the company’s Giving Back ethos continues to make a difference to communities across the UK
By Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
AlphaBiolabs has made a £500 donation to Sean’s Place, a men’s mental health charity based in Sefton, as part of its ongoing Giving Back initiative
Professor Dominic Regan and Seán Jones KC present their best buys for this holiday season
Little has changed since Burns v Burns . Cohabiting couples deserve better than to be left on the blasted heath with the existing witch’s brew for another four decades, argues Christopher Stirling
Six months of court observation at the Old Bailey: APPEAL’s Dr Nisha Waller and Tehreem Sultan report their findings on prosecution practices under joint enterprise
Despite its prevalence, autism spectrum disorder remains poorly understood in the criminal justice system. Does Alex Henry’s joint enterprise conviction expose the need to audit prisons? asks Dr Felicity Gerry KC
With automation now deeply embedded in the Department for Work Pensions, Alexander McColl and Alexa Thompson review what we know, what we don’t and avenues for legal challenge
