On 11 July 2024, The Judicial Diversity Forum (JDF), chaired by the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), published the annual Diversity of the Judiciary combined statistics report for 2023-24.

The report sets out data about the diversity of the legal professions in England and Wales, including solicitors, barristers, and judges.

As at 1 April 2024, there were 17,674 barristers, 168,478 solicitors, and 8,216 Chartered Legal Executives registered to practise in England and Wales.

Key statistics from the report include:

  • Women are well represented in the legal professions. 40% of barristers, 53% of solicitors, 77% of Chartered Legal Executives, and 43% of all judges were women. Female candidates represented 49% of those that applied for jobs as judges, and 53% of those that got the job. Over half (57%) of all magistrates were female.

  • Ethnic minority representation is increasing. Since 2014, the ethnic minority proportion of barristers increased from 13% to 17%, of solicitors from 15% to 19%, of Chartered Legal Executives from 5% to 11%, and from 7% to 11% for all judges. Ethnic minorities made up 13% of all magistrates.

  • More solicitors apply for jobs as judges than barristers, but (proportionally) more barristers are successful in their applications. Solicitors constituted more than half of applicants (52%) and barristers less than a third (29%), but only 32% of solicitor-applicants were successful compared to 40% of barrister applicants.

  • In terms of age, 40% of barristers, 30% of solicitors and 39% of Chartered Legal Executives were aged 50 or over.

  • Disabled lawyers made up 11% of those that apply for jobs as judges, but only 9% of those that were successful.

  • 74% of applications for jobs as judges, and 71% of those that were successful, had a state-school education. 99% of applicants attended university.

More information is available in the report, and its accompanying guide.

These articles are provided for general information only. They are intended to assist with a basic understanding of common topics, which a client can read before consulting a solicitor about the specifics of their case. They are not a substitute for, and should not be relied upon as, legal advice. The law changes regularly, and the information contained in these articles is not updated to account for any changes.