The Justice Secretary's Plans
The Law Show
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Why Are So Few Senior Judges Appointed From the Ethnic Minorities?
Just one out of more than 150 judges in the High Court and Appeal Courts is from an ethnic minority. 17% of solicitors are from ethnic minorities compared with 13% of the workforce across England, Scotland and Wales. One reason may be that if you want to be a High Court judge, your chances are much higher if you started your legal career as a barrister. Some have said it's almost like professional apartheid. Going to barristers for these jobs is a bit like saying we need a legal affairs director for a busy transport company but we prefer to appoint a racing car driver.
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