Solicitors will increasingly aspire to become Queen’s Counsel, one of three new solicitor silks has predicted. Judith Gill, international arbitration partner at City firm Allen & Overy, who last week became the second female solicitor silk, said: ‘The more solicitors who are successful the more likely it’ll be that others will apply.’

Three out of the four solicitors who applied for the rank were successful. The other two were also arbitration practitioners – Peter Rees at US firm Debevoise & Plimpton and Romano Subiotto at US firm Cleary Gottlieb.

The latest competition saw the lowest number of applications in over a decade, but the greatest success rate – 104 of the 247 applicants (42%).

The competition also saw the first in-house Crown Prosecution Service advocate appointed. Graham Reeds was one of two employed barristers who applied for, and were awarded, silk.

Law Society President Paul Marsh said the number of solicitors applying still does not reflect the number of outstanding solicitor advocates. He urged the selection panel to look into the reasons for the small number.

Meanwhile, the Judicial Appointments Commission said that 28% (119) of 420 applications for 76 recorder positions across the Northern, North Eastern and Wales circuits were from solicitors. Of those, 9% (11) were successful.