In June 2013, she was appointed Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom to succeed Lord Hope of Craighead. [14] In July 2017, she was appointed to be the next President of the Supreme Court, succeeding Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury. [15] She took office in September 2017. [16]

Lady Hale: Five things you might not know about the Supreme Lady Hale: Five things you might not know about the Supreme

On 10 September 2015, Hale delivered the Caldwell Public Lecture at the University of Melbourne, Australia, on the topic "Protecting Human Rights in the UK Courts: What are we doing wrong?". [29]

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The start of this book covers her early childhood and education. I did find it interesting from a sociological perspective however it isn't really a "pacey" read. The changes is society over her lifetime were one of the things that I actually found very interesting. Initially her life is very ordinary and at best might be described as middle class. By the end of her book she is in antiques robes giving judgements on important cases including aspects the government's actions over BREXIT in the highest court in the land. The breadth of insight into society will certainly interest some. Her reflections were insightful and humble with great respect shown for her colleagues. I found it fascinating to have this window into a world I haven't explored before. It made me reflect on the complexity of legal cases, as she described some of the ones she has been involved in. She described longstanding practices and changes in the system- especially in relation to women. I must confess that there are parts of the book I couldn't understand completely in relation to legal processes and cases. This was my first exploration of the legal system and therefore I think that someone with a more comprehensive understanding of the system would grasp the elements aforementioned readily.

Spider Woman by Brenda Hale - Penguin Books New Zealand Spider Woman by Brenda Hale - Penguin Books New Zealand

It is strange that challenging the male-dominated status quo in the law and the legal profession is seen as an ‘agenda’ whereas preserving it is not. We have seen how efficiently the protectors of the status quo can mobilise when they feel it under threat – for example, by meeting calls for diversity with the mantra of ‘merit’. But mostly they have no need to be so vocal – so that agenda remains hidden and, no doubt for many, quite unconscious.”Her story begins in the village of Scorton (above), between Richmond and Darlington, where her father was the headteacher of the grammar school, a private boarding school that was just restarting after the war. The Year 2019: The Annual Review of Girton College Cambridge. Cambridge: Girton College. 2019. p.56.

Spider Woman by Lady Hale | Waterstones

I do have a large number of brooches,” she says, with an air of weary resignation that she should be answering questions about fashion accessories but also with an amused fascination that anyone should wish to discuss such things with her.Her judgements have made all children equal in law, irrespective of their parents’ marital status, and have redefined the meaning of “violence” so that it’s not just brutal and physical but it can also be mental, as in coercive control. It’s the one -ism she owns up to, and she is known among lawyers for holding the ladder she climbed in place so that other women can ascend it. Many young women barristers see her as a role model and a champion. One of these, former barrister Afua Hirsch, has turned her into the heroine of a children’s book, Equal to Everything: Judge Brenda and the Supreme Court. Baroness Brenda Hale of Richmond - Congregations - University of Kent". Archived from the original on 19 October 2015 . Retrieved 24 September 2019.