Page 63 - Judicial Diversity Update report

2.105. The Working Party recommends a detailed examination of the particular
challenges for disabled students in accessing the legal professions and
monitoring of their progression within it. Based on the evidence we received,
there is also a need for more concerted judicial training on disability and
reasonable adjustments for disabled practitioners and judges.

2.106. We recognise the work of the Lawyers with Disabilities Division, which
supports mainly solicitors and trainees seeking to progress in the legal sector.
The LDD organises specialised events and training to help people with
disabilities secure work placements and training contracts, and to assist with
career advancement. Additionally, the group aims to raise awareness among
employers about making the legal profession more accessible.

Sexual orientation and gender identity

2.107. In the 2017 report we did not look at the appointment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
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or Transgender (LGBT+) judges. This was, in part, because there are a
number of openly gay senior judges and we were repeatedly assured that sexual
orientation wasn’t an issue in appointments or career progression. There was
also a dearth of data. For the Update, we have reviewed all of the relevant data
and gathered qualitative evidence on the appointment of LGBT+ judges.

The sitting cohort

2.108. The official judicial diversity statistics do not provide information about sexual
orientation or gender identity of the sitting cohort. However, we understand
that information on sexual orientation will be collected and published from
2020, which we welcome.

Performance in appointments processes

2.109. Diversity data on sexual orientation was included for the first time in the JAC’s
Official Statistics published in June 2014. Because the JAC does not include

145 Reference to transgender refers to any person who does not identify or exclusively identify with
their gender assigned at birth. Its use in this report is intended to be inclusive of all trans, non-binary
and gender-diverse identities.
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