Judiciary launches new diversity strategy initiative

The judiciary has launched its Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2026-2030, with the aim of increasing diversity within the judicial system over the next five years. Mark Evans, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, emphasised the need for this initiative, stating “The Law Society has been closely monitoring the diversity of the judiciary for years. UK government statistics have historically shown that the representation of the judiciary does not reflect the society it serves."

Despite these efforts, he noted that “The number of Black legal professionals on the bench has remained stubbornly stagnant for over a decade – remaining at 1% – showing that efforts to make improvements are not having the desired impact." The statistics reveal that minority ethnic candidates are often at a disadvantage, being disproportionately ruled out at various stages of the appointments process.

On a more positive note, Evans acknowledged that there have been some improvements, mentioning “There have been some positive changes relating to Asian and mixed-ethnicity candidates and some improvement in the proportion of female judges." However, the representation of solicitors, female judges, and judges from minority ethnic backgrounds continues to be concentrated in the lower echelons of the courts.

With the new strategy, the judiciary seeks to address these imbalances by including goals such as increasing the number of Black judges, making reasonable adjustments for disabled judicial office holders, and broadening the diversity of applicants for High Court positions and above. Evans urged that “We welcome the strategy’s focus,” but he also stressed the importance of ensuring that the judiciary implements changes that are genuine and enduring, advocating for “a level playing field for all legal professionals."