Message from the Lord Chief Justice: 2022 judicial diversity statistics

The Judicial Diversity Forum has today published the latest statistics in relation to the diversity of the judiciary and the legal professions which provide the eligible pool of candidates for most judicial roles in England and Wales.

The report once again shows an increase in the proportion of women within the judiciary. The report also shows that the proportion of Asian and Mixed ethnicity individuals in the judiciary has slowly increased since 2014, while the proportion of Black and Other ethnic minority individuals has stayed the same in that time.

Publication of the statistics provides important information against which to set the objectives of the Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy published in November 2020. The strategy has ambitious aims and I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have worked to assist with the implementation of the strategy. Later in the year we will publish more on how we are delivering against those objectives. I will continue to work with both the Judicial Diversity Committee and the Judicial Diversity Forum in this important area, and I encourage all judicial office holders to engage with the many diversity and inclusion initiatives which are taking place across the judiciary.

Lord Burnett of Maldon
The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales