A Freshfields solicitor has hailed her appointment as a judge in Bahrain a ‘step in the right direction’ towards greater judicial diversity in Gulf states.

Amani Khalifa, counsel in Freshfields' global projects disputes practice, has been appointed as a Court of Cassation judge in the Kingdom of Bahrain, seconded to the Bahrain Chamber of Dispute Resolution. The firm said the appointment ‘is at the highest rank in Bahrain’s judiciary’.

An arbitration specialist, Khalifa was admitted to the roll in 2014. In her new judicial post, she will hear commercial disputes valued above $1.3m, which parties have opted to hear in English under Bahraini law.

Amani Khalifa

Amani Khalifa hopes her new role will inspire the next generation of women lawyers

Khalifa said: 'I am deeply honoured by this appointment, and humbled to take on such an impactful role. Having English-speaking judges who are fluent in the law of the region will undoubtedly provide greater clarity and transparency for many commercial parties as cases are heard.

'As women account for a very small minority of judges across the region, I see my appointment as an important step in the right direction to increase the number of women in the judiciary. It is my hope to help effect change and show the next generation of women in law what is possible.’

A 2019 UN report on women in the judiciary in Arab states said case studies said that women’s increasing presence in judicial institutions is ‘viewed overwhelmingly positively by actors of the legal system in the Arab region, who cite a variety of effects such as more gender-sensitive handling of cases, increased understanding of the judiciary’s role in protecting women from violence and even a more cordial atmosphere inside the courtroom.

‘The presence of female judges encourages women to come forward and make use of judicial mechanisms when their rights have been breached. In addition, female judges were viewed as less susceptible to corruption and political pressure, thereby contributing to increasing the independence of the judiciary and the quality of judgements.’