The Supreme Court is seeking a new justice and has urged ‘the widest range of applicants eligible to apply’ in order to boost the diversity of its decision makers.

In an information pack for candidates, the selection commission welcomes applications ‘from the widest range of applicants eligible to apply, and particularly encourages applications from those who would increase the diversity of the court, bearing in mind that Lady Black’s retirement will leave the court with only one female justice and without any from a black or Asian ethnic background’.

Lady Black of Derwent is due to retire on 10 January 2021.

The court added that, while the successful applicant will be selected on merit, ‘if the commission considers two persons to be of equal merit, it may prefer one of them over the other for the purpose of increasing diversity within the court’.

The current annual salary for a Supreme Court justice is £230,717 and applicants must have held high judicial office for at least two years. Alternatively, they must have been a qualifying practitioner for at least 15 years or satisfy the judicial-appointment eligibility condition on a 15-year basis.

There is no lower age limit for applicants but Supreme Court justices are required to retire at the age of 70.

Short-listing is due take place in the second week of December and interviews are scheduled for 21 December.

 

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