Diversity Panel Call for More Solicitors in Judiciary

Thu, 25 Feb 2010

The key to increasing diversity in the judiciary lies in encouraging more solicitors to apply for judicial positions, according to the chairwoman of the Advisory Panel on Judicial Diversity. Baroness Neuberger made the claim in an interview with the Gazette, in a week which sees the panel publish a report with 53 recommendations for how to diversify the judicial bench.

As part of the recommendations, Baroness Neuberger called on law firms to encourage their lawyers to perform part-time judicial work, just as they conduct pro bono work. Five leading City law firms have formed a working group to assist the review, and agree that there needs to be a change in ‘present custom’. The law firms involved are Linklaters, Clifford Chance, Allen and Overy, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Herbert Smith.

The recommendations also suggested that flexible working hours are in place to ensure female lawyers, solicitors and barristers are able to continue in the legal profession after having a baby. Some city legal firms have already adopted flexible working hour policies, with Allen and Overy the latest to adopt a female friendly policy.
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