Two women and two ethnic minority lawyers were among the 13 candidates recommended for appointment to the High Court in the most recent selection round, the Judicial Appointments Commission has said.

The JAC said the appointments would increase ethnic minority representation in the court to its highest-ever level. However, there will still be only five ethnic minority judges and 18 women judges in the High Court, from a total of 108. None of the 13 new appointments are solicitors.

The commission announced the results of its selection processes for April to September 2010, including the recruitment of 193 deputy district judges in the civil courts, from more than 1,550 candidates – its largest selection exercise yet.

The JAC reported that solicitors applying for appointment as deputy district judges in the civil courts comprised only 69% of all applicants in the 2010 exercise, down from 78% in the last one, which took place in 2006/07. Solicitors filled just 49% of the available posts in 2010, compared to 68% in 2006/07. The proportion of ethnic minority candidates recommended from those shortlisted has more than doubled since the last exercise, up from 18% to 49%, while the proportion of women appointed rose to 56% from 41% last year.

Law Society president Linda Lee said that while th­e appointment of more women and ethnic minorities to judicial posts was ‘good news’, the Society was disappointed that the creation of the JAC had not yet increased the proportion of solicitors appointed to senior roles.