Many congratulations to Brenda Hale, the first female president of the supreme court and the youngest lord chief justice in 50 years have been sworn in.
Brenda Hale’s appointment to the leading role at the UK’s highest court was announced by Downing Street in July. A longstanding champion of diversity in the judiciary, she became the first female justice of the court in October 2009 and was appointed deputy president in June 2013.
Onlookers applauded at the ceremony on Monday, which marks the start of the legal year. The supreme court also welcomed Jonathan Mance as deputy president, as well as three new judges, including a second female justice, Jill Black. In a separate ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, Sir Ian Burnett was sworn in as lord chief justice. The court of appeal judge, 59, takes over as head of the judiciary of England and Wales from Lord Thomas, who held the position from 2013 and retired on 1 October.
