Fiona Rutherford appointed new Chief Executive of JUSTICE

The Trustees of JUSTICE are delighted to announce today that Fiona Rutherford has been appointed the new Chief Executive of the organisation.

An expert, values-led leader, Fiona Rutherford will succeed Andrea Coomber and assume responsibilities on 1 February 2022. Currently the Director of Access to Justice Policy, Ministry of Justice, Fiona is a qualified barrister and experienced civil servant, having held senior positions within Whitehall.

JUSTICE has been at the forefront of law reform in the United Kingdom since 1957, aiming to promote a fairer and more accessible justice system for all, carrying out research and generating practical, workable recommendations for reform. JUSTICE has a history of scrutinising and challenging developments within the justice system that threaten the country’s adherence to human rights and the rule of law.

Chair of the JUSTICE Board, Peter Binning said:

“I am very pleased to announce Fiona Rutherford’s appointment as the new Chief Executive of JUSTICE. Fiona’s years of experience working at a very senior level in the Ministry of Justice make her ideally placed to lead our dedicated staff team and take forward our strategy for securing a fairer, more equal system of justice for all at this critical time of change.”

Fiona Rutherford said:

“I am thrilled to be joining JUSTICE as the new Chief Executive, following the leadership of Andrea Coomber.

“The justice system is the bedrock of a fair and thriving society and with a wide range of reform underway, JUSTICE is well placed to influence and shape the future. A key part of the strategy is to devote time and attention to user-centred justice in a practical and realistic way, ensuring the system is inclusive and accessible to all.

“I look forward to leading JUSTICE and working with the team, the Council, members and others who share the values and commitment of JUSTICE.”


Read the full press release here.

Fiona Rutherford is currently the Director of Access to Justice Policy, Ministry of Justice (MoJ), a position she has held since July 2019. Her previously held positions include: Deputy Director for Legal Aid Policy (MoJ); Deputy Director for Business Strategy and Design, Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service; and Senior Operational Leader for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Before that Fiona practised as a specialist criminal barrister in the Chambers of Andrew Trollope QC, 187 Fleet Street. She has an LLB (Hons) in European Languages and Law from the University of the West of England, Bristol and a Diploma in Law from the Inns of Court School of Law, London.

Fiona is a member of the Civil Justice Council’s Futures Working Group, was the MoJ representative at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and in Feb 2019, she represented the UK Government at the UN for the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).