New board will target barriers to judicial careers as sentencing remarks and Administrative Court proceedings become more accessible to the public
A major government and judicial initiative to help recruit more judges from diverse backgrounds has been launched alongside an expansion in court broadcasting arrangements, including new measures agreed to strengthen transparency through wider access to sentencing remarks. The initiative forms part of a broader effort to improve public confidence in the criminal justice system.
The new Judicial and Legal Diversity Board will bring together senior figures from across government, the judiciary and the legal profession to address barriers affecting progression into judicial office and to support efforts to improve representation across the bench.
Co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy and Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, the board is intended to support recruitment and progression pathways for under-represented groups and widen access to judicial careers.
A key focus of the board will be improving opportunities for ethnic minority lawyers and other under-represented candidates, including those from working-class backgrounds. It will also work to strengthen mentoring and support structures to assist progression into judicial roles.
The initiative will continue efforts to make judicial careers more accessible for those in other legal roles, including solicitors and practitioners outside the traditional barristers’ route.
In a major boost for transparency and open justice, the government and judiciary have agreed to expand court broadcasting arrangements. This includes allowing sentencing remarks by the Chief Magistrate to be broadcast live for the first time. Filming will also be permitted in the Administrative Court for the first time, bringing the justice system closer to the public.
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy said: “This new board is a huge step forward as the Lady Chief Justice and I look to break down barriers and back talent from all walks of life – continuing to drive real progress towards a judiciary that’s reflective of modern Britain.
“We are also modernising our courts to deliver more transparent justice, by expanding broadcasting and bringing the work of our justice system closer to the public than ever before.”
Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr said: “Judicial diversity remains a key priority for me. The establishment of this Board is a welcome forum for us to work alongside the legal professions in providing opportunities for people from all walks of life to become part of a judiciary that is inclusive, respectful and representative of the society that we serve.”
The Bar Council welcomed the launch of the board but said progress in judicial diversity has been too slow in recent years.
Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC said: “It is absolutely right that improving judicial diversity is a priority for the Lord Chancellor and Lady Chief Justice and we’re pleased that the Bar Council is part of the new board.
“Progress on judicial diversity, particularly in relation to Black candidates and disabled candidates, has been far too slow for too long. The board must be focused in ensuring that there is support and investment so that our judiciary reflects the diverse communities we live in.”
She added that lawyers from under-represented backgrounds interested in judicial office should take advantage of existing schemes such as the Pre-Application Judicial Education (PAJE) programme, which has opened for its next cohort.