The senior judiciary remains dominated by white male barristers, the latest statistics published by the Ministry of Justice have shown.

Among the five heads of division there are no women, individuals from a minority ethnic background - or solicitors. 

Not one of the 38 Lord Justices of Appeal, eight judge advocates, four deputy judge advocates, or the 39 judges in the principal registry of the Family Division identify as being from a black or minority ethnic (BME) background.

Only 14 circuit judges out of 640, three out of 106 High Court judges and 56 out of 956 recorders identify as BME.

Looking across the courts and tribunals more generally, nearly one in 10 officeholders (9.4%) is from an ethnic minority background.

Following the appointment last week of Mrs Justice King, there are now eight women judges at the Court of Appeal among the 38 judges on the bench.?

Less than a fifth - 21 out of 108 - High Court judges are women and one in five of the 640 circuit judges is female.

The proportion of women sitting in courts and tribunals (excluding magistrates and non-legal members) stands at 32%.

None of the 38 Court of Appeal judges is a solicitor. Of the 106 High Court judges one is a solicitor. Out of 640 circuit judges, 75 are solicitors and out of the 956 recorders only 54 are solicitors.

Figures for the lower judiciary paint a different picture, however. There are more women sitting as magistrates than men - over 52% out of a total of 21,626 and just under 9% of all magistrates are from an ethnic minority background.

Law Society president Andrew Caplen said: 'Diversity and inclusion is one of the themes running through my presidential year. There is still work to be done to increase judicial diversity. We want to see more solicitors successfully applying for judicial appointment, particularly those from under-represented groups.'

Caplen said the Society is running three outreach events a year targeted at under-represented groups as well as workshops focusing on the applications process and interview training for solicitors wishing to apply for judicial appointment.

?Shadow justice minister Andy Slaughter said that the figures show the government's 'snail's pace approach' to diversity is not enough. ?

'That is why shadow lord chancellor Sadiq Khan has commissioned Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC and Karen Monaghan QC to propose radical suggestions to achieve a diverse judiciary.'

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