More women and ethnic minorites make bench

More women and people from ethnic minorities are being appointed as judges, the annual judicial appointments report has shown - but solicitors are losing out to barristers in applying for some senior posts.

The report from the Lord Chancellor's Department (LCD) said that in 2001-02, 34% of judges appointed were women, compared to 28% in the year before.

Some 23% of female applicants were successful, compared to 21% of men.

Appointments of ethnic minority judges rose to 7.8% from 6.9% in 2000/01.

White applicants were slightly more successful than ethnic minority applicants.

Applications from female and ethnic minority candidates rose over the same period.

Women made up 32% of applicants (compared to 26% in 2000/01) and candidates who declared themselves to be of ethnic minority origin made up 8.2% of all applications (7.1% in 2000-2001).

The LCD said: 'Although the percentage increase for minority ethnic appointments is small, it is hoped that the significance of a continuing increase will encourage more applications from eligible minority ethnic applicants.'

Some 30% (274) of the 915 appointees were solicitors; 29% were barristers.

There continues to be a massive growth in the number of non-lawyer appointments - these are mainly tribunal members.

Last year, solicitors were more successful than barristers at becoming circuit judges; the situation has reversed this year, with just one of 21 solicitor applicants (5%) being successful, compared to 8% of the 165 barristers.

The gap at the level of deputy district judge in the county court has widened: 18% of barristers were successful, compared to 11% of solicitors.

Last year the figures were 15% and 14%.

In total, the number of applicants increased from 3,689 to 4,225 and the number of appointments rose from 753 to 915.

Despite the number of applicants rising, the total solicitors doing so actually fell slightly, from 1,386 in 2000/1 to 1,371.

Phillip Reed, formerly a barrister and now solicitor-advocate and partner at City firm Norton Rose, said: 'These declining figures for solicitors are regrettable as it shows a failure by the system to exploit huge litigation experience that would greatly benefit the bench and the public.

It is a shame to see such talent not fully utilised as I believe there are lots of good solicitors who would make excellent judges'.

An LCD spokesman said: 'The Lord Chancellor welcomes applications from solicitors for judicial office, and it is not clear why the proportion of solicitor appointees has varied from year to year.

Solicitors remain the largest single group appointed to judicial office.

We continue to make efforts to attract applications from solicitors, with regular contact with the Law Society and road show events at Law Society branches, reinforcing the message that the process is an open and inclusive one with solicitor applicants welcomed.'

Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva said: 'The Law Society welcomes recent improvements to the appointments procedures.

We are also committed to working with the Judicial Appointments Commission and the LCD to overcome any barriers - real and perceived - to the appointment of people of merit from non-traditional backgrounds.

'Therefore, we encourage solicitors to consider applying for judicial appointments, as we believe they have a great deal to offer the community as members of the judiciary.'

Andrew Towler