Your article 'Judgement call' highlights five solicitors who have 'answered the call' to the bench, but only at the lower levels, and apart from Judith Gleeson, on a part-time basis (see [2005] Gazette, 1 December, 18). It may have been better had you also dealt with solicitors who have made it to the circuit or High Court bench. That would have proved that it can be done.

I speak as a solicitor who made it to the circuit bench 13 years ago when it was a lot tougher than now. Since then, I have constantly promoted the circuit bench to other solicitors on the basis that if I could do it when it was a rarity, they can certainly do it now when the climate is much better.


Judge Geoffrey Kamil, Bradford Combined Court Centre