The Hon. Mrs Justice Nicola Davies DBE

On the 22nd January 2010, Nicola Davies QC was appointed as a Justice of the High Court in the Queen's Bench Division. She became The Hon. Mrs Justice Nicola Davies DBE, one of five women appointed following the last selection exercise in 2008.

Formerly a successful QC with a high profile medical law practice Mrs Justice Nicola Davies looks forward to the challenges and responsibilities she will face as a member of the senior judiciary of England and Wales.

Born in Llanelli, Wales, the judge grew up in Bridgend, where she attended Bridgend Girls' Grammar School.  In 1971 she read Law at Birmingham University, a choice which initially she did not enjoy.  However, she persevered thanks to encouragement from her law tutor.

After graduating, and following a stint at a small solicitor's firm, the judge made a complete change and became an investment analyst in the City.  It took her abandonment of the law to fully realise the extent to which she was truly attracted to the legal profession.  The decision to pursue a career at the Bar was not made any easier by the fact that in the mid-70s, being state-educated, a first generation lawyer within her family and a woman, she was an unlikely candidate.

"However, I felt that if I did not attempt it, I would always have a 'chip on my shoulder'.  In the 70s and 80s, there was certainly prejudice at the Bar but my concern was to prove myself through the success of my practice.  I adopted the attitude that I would succeed through ability and hard work, and I received every encouragement to do so."

The judge's enduring approach to her background was that she would strive to achieve through determination, ability and hard work, rather than seeking preferment for being a woman.

She did her second six month pupillage at Carpmael Buildings, which later became 3 Serjeant's Inn.

"We were new, we were young and we were poor so we did whatever came through the door.  It was the most terrific training as I did civil, criminal and family work.  The chambers then started to take on some medical work and we went with it."

A turning point came in the young barrister's career when acting as a junior counsel to the two doctors involved in the Cleveland Child Abuse cases, she became recognised as a medical specialist.  She also became a member of the Treasury Panels.

In 1992, and aged just 39, the Judge took silk.

"I was encouraged to apply by a leading QC who is now a senior judge.  It was still relatively rare for women to become QCs, but that reflected the fact that there were fewer women at the Bar.  I was the only woman in my chambers for seven years."

Three years later, she became an Assistant Recorder.  The judge had not been initially considering the judicial route but thinking back to the speech given at her silks ceremony by Lord Mackay, the then Lord Chancellor, she remembered his emphasis on public duty and felt it was applicable to her at this stage of her life.  Three years later, she became a Recorder.  Meanwhile, her medical practice was flourishing and she chaired two Inquiries.

1998 was a busy year, with six months spent on the Bristol heart surgeon's case, followed by instruction to defend Harold Shipman and also acting for the Department of Health in the BSE inquiry.  In 2003, the judge was made a Deputy High Court judge.

Having reached and maintained the apex of her professional work as a QC, including a number of high profile cases, the judge felt that she was at a pivotal point in her career.  She was increasingly attracted to the neutrality of the role of a judge and with the experience she had gained as a Recorder and Deputy, it seemed to be the right time to apply for appointment to the High Court bench.

Although the application process can seem daunting, the judge found that she enjoyed the interview and that the panel sincerely sought to engage with her.  The interview included a five minute presentation on the challenges she thought she would face as a High Court Judge.  A particular point she raised was the difficulty of ensuring fair representation if the two advocates in front of the judge were of unequal ability. 

The judge said so far the experience of sitting in the High Court has certainly met her expectations.

"I was told two things: that it would be a new way of life and that it would be relentlessly hard work.  So far, both have proved true!"

Life on the bench differs from that of the Bar.  The judge recognises that as a judge, you make significant changes, the two most notable being the independence of self-employment and to a lesser extent, the camaraderie of the Bar.  That said, the judge says that the welcome and offers of support she has received from the other judges have indeed been kind and considerate.  She has been made to feel genuinely welcome at the Royal Courts of Justice and also has a mentor, to whom she can turn to for advice.

The judge will be travelling out on circuit in April to Leeds for six weeks.

"I am looking forward to it.  I have always done a lot of cases outside London, which I enjoyed. An experienced judge will be there, to whom I can turn to for advice, should I need it."

On encouraging younger colleagues to develop their professional careers and apply for silk, the judge has always been proactive.  Applying to become a judge on the High Court bench is a path for which some are qualified and may not consider to begin with.

Learn about the 2010 High Court Judge selection exercise here.