The Judiciary of England and Wales has published its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2026-2030, which sets out its priorities for expanding the diversity of the judiciary, particularly the number of Black judges.
The Judiciary said it is committed to achieving meaningful progress in diversity and inclusivity, with the Lady Chief Justice, Dame Sue Carr, saying increasing diversity is a priority. Writing in the foreword to the strategy, Dame Carr said:
“A judiciary that reflects society is part of how we maintain public confidence in the justice system. It ensures that we draw on the widest possible pool of talent and benefit from a broad range of perspectives and experiences. However, we recognise that there is still more to do and that diversity alone is not enough. We must also foster a culture of inclusion – one in which everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and where difference is valued.”
The five-year strategy sets out three core objectives: every judicial office holder fosters an inclusive working environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect; greater diversity within the applicant pool for judicial office including by engaging with under-represented groups; the judiciary will support diversity through the development of the career potential of all salaried and fee paid judges.
Particular attention will be paid to increasing the number of Black judges, which has remained at 1% of the total for a decade. Reasonable adjustments for disabled judicial office holders will also be priorities, as will expanding diversity in the pool of applicants to the High Court and above.
“The initiatives in the strategy aim to ensure fair access to opportunities rather than advantaging specific groups,” the Judiciary said in a statement accompanying the strategy.
“Appointment decisions will continue to be based on merit, however, everyone with the requisite skills and abilities should have an equal opportunity to apply for and achieve judicial appointment.”
The new strategy was accompanied by statistics on the current levels of representation. In 2025, women made up 39% of all court judges, 54% of tribunal judges, 58% of non-legal members and 57% of magistrates. Around a third of court judges (31%) came from solicitor and other non-barrister backgrounds, rising to 62% of tribunal judges.
Asian, Black, and judges from a mixed ethnic background made up 6%, 1% and 3% of all court judges respectively, and 7%, 2% and 3% of tribunal judges. Non-legal members were 12% Asian, 3% Black and 2% from a mixed ethnic background, with magistrates forming 7%, 4% and 2% of the totals respectively.
Disabled judges made up 8% of the total, rising to 15% of tribunal judges, 19% of non-legal members and 12% of magistrates.
Mark Evans, Law Society of England and Wales president, said the organisation had been monitoring the diversity of the judiciary for years and it does not reflect the society it serves. He added:
“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. More work needs to be done. Minority ethnic candidates are disproportionately ruled out at every stage of the appointments process.
“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 remain concentrated at the lower end of the courts.”
However, Evans said the Law Society welcomes the strategies new focus, adding: “We urge the judiciary to ensure it makes real, lasting changes and is a level playing field for all legal professionals.”
Launching the strategy, Dame Carr said:
“We are building a judiciary that is inclusive, respectful, and representative of the society that we serve; an environment where legal talent, regardless of background, can flourish and succeed.”
Lord Justice Dingemans, Senior President of Tribunals, added:
“The tribunals have made great progress in embedding diversity and inclusion into all that we do. Success relies in creating a culture in which all of our diverse and talented tribunal judges and members feel valued and supported. I look forward to continuing this vital work.”
Progress made against the strategy will be tracked and reported annually, with updates on each focus area published on the judiciary.uk website. A full evaluation will take place at the end of the strategy’s term. Judicial diversity data will also continue to be published annually.
