The judiciary’s diversity chief has been appointed to the Supreme Court, it was announced today. Lady Justice Simler joins the bench of the UK’s highest court following the retirement of Lord Kitchin last month.

Simler was called to the bar by Inner Temple in 1987. She practised at Devereux Chambers, was appointed to the attorney general’s Civil Panel A in 2001 and as junior counsel to the Inland Revenue (Common Law) in 2002.

She became a recorder on the south east circuit in 2002 and a deputy High Court judge eight years later. She became a High Court judge in 2013 and was appointed president of the Employment Appeal Tribunal in 2015 for three years.

Lady Justice Simler

Lady Justice Simler was sworn in as a Court of Appeal judge in 2019

Source: Avalon

Having served as High Court liaison judge for diversity, she was appointed chair of the diversity committee of the Judges’ Council in 2019, the same year she was sworn in as a Court of Appeal judge.

Supreme Court president Lord Reed said Simler ‘will bring exceptional experience and ability to the court following her distinguished career as a barrister and judge. Her experience in employment law, tax, public law and criminal law will be highly valuable to the Supreme Court and will further strengthen us as a world-leading court’.