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Britain's Supreme Court gets first woman president

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ANI London [Britain]

Eminent law lord Baroness Hale of Richmond has become the first woman to head the United Kingdom's Supreme Court.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth on Friday approved Baroness Hale of Richmond's appointment and she will take up the post when her predecessor retires in September. She will earn 225,000 pounds a year.

"It is a great honour and a challenge to be appointed to succeed Lord Neuberger," The Independent quoted Lady Hale, as saying.

"While I of course look forward to working alongside all my colleagues, it is a particular pleasure for me to be taking up the post at the same time as we welcome only the second ever woman to sit on the UK's top appeal court."

 

During her time as deputy president of the Supreme Court, she has ruled on numerous headline-hitting cases, including the Brexit appeal that saw the Government forced to hold a parliamentary vote on Article 50.

Lady Hale previously served as the first female Lord of Appeal in Ordinary and Justice of the Supreme Court from its opening in 2009.

Both her parents were head teachers and she was educated at the Richmond High School for Girls before studying at Girton College, Cambridge.

Initially she followed her parents' footsteps into teaching, becoming a law lecturer at the University of Manchester. But after topping the list in 1969's bar finals, she was called to the Bar.

She became the first woman and youngest person ever to be appointed to the Law Commission - Britain's law reform body.

In 2004, she became the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court and the first family lawyer to fill the post.

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First Published: Jul 21 2017 | 9:48 PM IST

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