In June 2013, Lady Hale (Baroness Hale of Richmond) was appointed Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court, becoming the most senior woman in British judiciary history at the time. This was a pivotal milestone in a career defined by breaking barriers: she was the first woman appointed as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary (2004) and the first female Justice of the Supreme Court upon its founding in 2009. Her groundbreaking path culminated in 2017 when she became the first female President of the Supreme Court.

Throughout her career, Lady Hale has been a trailblazer for diversity in the legal system. Beyond her judicial “firsts,” she has made substantial contributions to law, such as her instrumental work on the Children Act 1989, and has been a prominent advocate for equality and transparency within the judiciary.