Equal participation by 2020
The Equal Justices Initiative (EJI) welcomes the news that President Obama has nominated Elena Kagan to the USSC. If appointed, she will become the third woman out of nine justices on the court. In light of the recent controversy surrounding the application of Jonathan Sumption QC for appointment to the UK Supreme Court, we note … Read more…
Download the EJI response to the Report of the Advisory Panel on Judicial Diversity [PDF 100kb]
Sir John Dyson has been appointed as the twelfth member of the Supreme Court. While Sir John is a first-rate judge and is undoubtedly well-qualified to join the Supreme Court, it is deeply disappointing to see that the opportunity has been missed to appoint a second woman to the Court. Mary Arden was, apparently, short-listed … Read more…
The Report of the Advisory Panel on Judicial Diversity published on 26 February 2010. The report recommends a number of reforms, including the creation of a Judicial Diversity Taskforce. It calls for a ‘fundamental shift in approach from a focus on selection processes towards a judicial career that addresses diversity at every stage.’
The new UK Supreme Court opened in October 2009. Only one member of the Court is a woman. Lady Brenda Hale was appointed to the predecessor of the Supreme Court, the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords in 2003, the first and only female Law Lord. An opportunity to appoint a second female Supreme … Read more…
Linda Dobbs was appointed to the High Court Bench in October 2004. In 2009 she is still the only female lawyer from a BME background to be appointed to the High Court Bench. Linda was appointed to the Queens Bench Division in September 2004 having taken Silk in 1998. She takes an active interest in … Read more…