Over 100 CILEX members apply for judicial positions

Analysis of applications to judicial positions in 2024-25 showed that 104 applicants declared ever holding the role of Chartered Legal Executive. Twelve of those were shortlisted and five were recommended for immediate appointment.

This was the first year that Chartered Legal Executives had been able to apply for more senior judicial roles since law changes allowed this in 2023 and included the appointment of Nick Hanning as the first CILEX Lawyer appointed to the post of Recorder.

The Judicial Diversity Forum’s annual statistics showed that 44% of all judges are now female. Women made up 39% of court judges, up from 24% in 2015, and 54% of tribunal judges, 10 percentage points higher than a decade ago.

Since 2015, the proportion of judges from ethnic minorities has also increased from 7% to 12%, with Asian lawyers increasing their representation but Black judges still only making up only 1% of all judges.

Analysing socio-economic background and disability for the first time, the research found that lawyers from lower socio-economic backgrounds were less likely to succeed when applying for the bench than those from higher ones.

For all legal exercises completed in the year to 31 March 2025 (as opposed to non-legal roles, like magistrates), 7% of applicants from a lower socio-economic background were recommended for appointment, compared to 10% and 11% respectively of those with a professional or intermediate background.

Candidates with a disability had a slightly lower recommendation rate from application than candidates without one.

The Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr, said: “I am determined to improve diversity in the judiciary. It is one of my key priorities. Progress is too slow, and we cannot shy away from that, but we will persist in our efforts to make real change.

“I would like to thank all those within the judiciary and the professions for their continuing efforts, as we all work towards a more representative judiciary.”

In September last year, CILEX launched a Judicial Academy to help bolster the number of CILEX lawyers, solicitors and barristers applying to become judges, with a goal of helping up to 500 legal professionals prepare for a judicial career over the next five years.