August 5, 2026
Riel Karmy-Jones KC (Chair of the Criminal Bar Association) hosted an important discussion on the CBA’s Criminal Justice Podcast about barriers faced by Black people seeking to enter and progress within the criminal justice profession, and their continuing underrepresentation in the criminal bar, and judiciary.
Riel was joined by Keir Monteith KC, Laurie-Anne Power KC and Stephen Akinsanya OBE, who share their personal experiences and consider why, despite longstanding commitments to tackling racism, the problem persists.
The latest judicial diversity statistics are stark: only 1.2% of judges across England and Wales are Black, a figure which has remained unchanged for the past decade. Further, there is currently only one High Court Judge who is black, appointed last year.
The episode includes extracts from a 2022 speech by Leon-Nathan Lynch, a member of the junior Bar, which adds further perspective on the importance of diversity within the profession to the question of the fairness of criminal justice as a whole to this important discussion.
The podcast was produced and edited by Adam Batstone, researched by James Rossiter, Communications Director at the Criminal Bar Association and recorded in Chambers.
Listen HERE to Episode 12 of Criminal Justice Matters: Being Black in Criminal Justice – Is the Profession Racist?