In depth: LCJ braces for a 'year of transition' on the bench

At her third annual press conference, held in the Royal Courts of Justice library, the lady chief justice described the past year as a ‘time of change’ – with more to come. 

Judicial unity is one of three priority areas for Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill. Here she spoke of ‘really promising forward momentum’, with upcoming legislation bringing tribunals and courts together under One Judiciary. ‘It’s more than just rearranging the desks, the chairs, it’s really recognising the unity of the work between courts and tribunals, getting more judges to sit across different jurisdictions, but focusing on best practice and an inclusive culture.’

And while careful not to comment on policy, the lady chief justice was able to welcome the government’s decision to uncap sitting days at the Crown court and allow magistrates to sit to capacity. While paying tribute to the lay magistracy’s ‘resilience and willingness to engage’, she stressed that training and proper resources would be ‘absolutely fundamental’.

‘One of my main roles in the context of criminal justice reform is to support the judges and make the case for adequate resources, which I’ve been making ever since the Leveson reviews. In particular when it comes to training, legal advisers, and the like for magistrates. The numbers that are needed to recruit on current modelling are very, very large but there are steps being taken, for example, to speed up the recruitment process, which has been very clunky historically.’

Asked about judicial safety, the LCJ considered ‘security events’ one of her lowlights of the past 12 months. 

‘I see it not only as appropriate, but my responsibility to make it as plain as I can that I have grave security concerns if there are going to be judge-alone trials,’ she said. It’s a very different environment to be working in and judges usually sit in one main centre, so they’re going in and out of one centre on a daily basis rather than, for example, High Court judges who will be sitting all around the country in England and Wales.

‘I’ve made the case very, very strongly that this needs to be considered and resourced properly and catered for properly. I have been assured that that has all been heard and understood, and that the resources will be made available.’

She added that ‘social media abuse’ had ‘taken a nasty turn when it comes to judges now’, adding: ‘It’s increasingly racist, misogynistic social media abuse that is so difficult to control. We’ve got a lord chancellor who speaks out and defends the rule of law, as always, and I feel that the messages that I’ve had to convey have been delivered and heard.’

Asked about potential judicial candidates from the wider legal sector, the LCJ said she had met with magic circle firms and was doing ‘everything I can to encourage solicitors to apply.

‘A solicitor member of the Court of Appeal, Lady Justice Falk, led the new work on the judicial skills and abilities framework, which the JAC has adopted, which is reflected in our job profiles. [This] is designed to make it all more user-friendly.’ Solicitors, she said, ‘have all sorts of transferable skills that are eminently well-suited to a job in the judiciary.

‘I am absolutely committed to making it a level playing field where everybody with the right skills on a merit-based approach can get into the judiciary.’

In her opening address to journalists, Lady Carr said: ‘It has been a year of change. It’s going to be a year of change going forwards, and I think it’s that word that I would choose to describe how I feel going forward in 2026. It’s a year that does mark a moment of real transition with the retirements of the master of the rolls, the president of the Family Division, and the president of the King’s Bench Division. We are losing giants of the judiciary, we owe them each a great, an enormous, debt of gratitude.

‘I am really confident in the depth of talent within the judiciary. In October, a new leadership team will be in place, and we are ready for the next chapter.’

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: ‘The lady chief justice is absolutely right to highlight how important it is to ensure judges are safe to carry out their duties. Our reforms mean serious cases will continue to be heard in front of a jury and we have robust measures in place – backed by increased investment – to protect judges and all court users.’