The search is officially on for the next Justices of the Supreme Court—and it could result in more representation of women in the highest court in the land.
The Selection Commission has advertised vacancies for the roles of Deputy President and two, possibly three, Justices. Potential candidates have until midday on 26 January 2018 to submit their applications for the job interview-of-a-lifetime. The new appointees will assume office between June 2018 and January 2019.
This is a time of change for the court. One quarter of the 12 Justices are retiring next year—Lord Mance, Deputy President, will retire in June, while Lords Hughes and Sumption are due to step down in August and December.
In October, Lady Hale took over from Lord Neuberger as President of the Supreme Court, while three other Justices, including the second woman to be appointed a Justice, were sworn in: Lady Black, Lord Lloyd-Jones and Lord Briggs.
The court has produced a formal information pack, which invites applications ‘from the widest range of candidates eligible to apply and particularly those who will increase the diversity of the court.’
Lady Hale has previously expressed concern about the lack of female or ethnic minority judges in the highest court of the land, while the judiciary and legal professional bodies have run a long-established campaign for a judiciary more representative of the people that it serves.
Candidates must have held high judicial office for two years or have 15 years’ experience as a qualified practitioner. The Supreme Court will host ‘insight visits’ for potential candidates, including private meetings with a current Justice and opportunities to sit in court.
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