The Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) has hit out at claims that government plans to increase diversity in the judiciary by allowing legal executives, patent agents and trade-mark attorneys to apply for office could lead to a fall in the quality of the bench.

ILEX secretary general Diane Burleigh said the move will not affect standards, insisting that it will simply enable people who are worthy of appointment to apply.


She added: 'It will in fact drive standards up - competition will be fierce and that will produce the best appointments.'


Her comments were made after the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, expressed concern over the Lord Chancellor's proposals. Lord Woolf said: 'We must ensure that no action is taken that would undermine the high quality of the judiciary and the need for appointments to be made on the grounds of merit alone.'


The Bar Council this week reiterated its concerns that extending eligibility may result in a diminution of standards. Last month, it argued that the government should be seeking to increase diversity from the pool of female and ethnic minority barristers and solicitors instead (see [2005] Gazette, 23 June, 4).


At present, only 624 (16.8%) of the 3,724 judges are women and 144, less than 4%, are from ethnic minority groups.


Ms Burleigh said the proposals would help increase judicial diversity as many ILEX fellows have backgrounds that are socially and economically different to the majority of solicitors or barristers.


Lord Falconer also announced last week that the number of years' experience required before a person can apply for judicial office would be reduced from seven or 10 years to five and seven years, depending on the office. He said: 'Those who apply for judicial appointment will face a rigorous, competitive, competence-based selection process.'


The Disability Rights Commission welcomed the plans but called for specific measures to tackle the under-representation of disabled people in the judiciary.