A non-practising solicitor has been appointed to the newly created post of lead coroner for diversity and inclusion.
Nadia Persaud, admitted in 1995, specialised in medical law and became a partner at national firm Bevan Brittan in 2008. In 2009, she was appointed as assistant coroner in East London and now sits as the area coroner in the same jurisdiction.
The diversity role, which is ‘still under development’ will include collecting the necessary data to help create a ‘tailored operational plan’ for coroners to deliver the overarching judicial strategy in relation to diversity and inclusion aims and objectives.
Persaud said she was ‘honoured’ to have been appointed and ‘excited’ for the role adding that as ‘an Indo-Guyanese solicitor who had attended a comprehensive state school up to the age of 16’ she ‘hadn’t pictured [herself] as a judge’.
She said: ‘I have enjoyed every stage of my legal career but sitting as a coroner brings with it a job satisfaction that is completely unrivalled. Hopefully, through the work in my new role I will be able to…encourage a diverse range of talented young lawyers to aspire to a career in the judiciary.’
Read more
Persaud added: ‘Coroners are to be included, for the first time, within the judicial diversity and inclusion strategy (2026-2030). Part of my role is to make sure that coroners’ views are heard as part of the consultation process, and where applicable, captured within the new strategy.
‘Another important task for me will be to highlight the importance of the statement of expected behaviour and to ensure that all coroners know how to, and feel empowered to, seek support.’
