Lady Hale sworn in as Supreme Court President

Lady Hale has been sworn in as the first woman President of the UK Supreme Court, in a ceremony this morning at the start of the new legal year in England & Wales.

Lady Hale, previously Deputy President of the court, succeeds Lord Neuberger, who has retired. Lord Mance, a Justice of the court, took the oath as Deputy President.

The court has now been restored to its full complement of 12 Justices, and Lady Hale is no longer the sole woman Justice. Joining the Supreme Court bench today were Lady Black of Derwent, Lord Lloyd-Jones – who took the oath in both English and Welsh – and Lord Briggs of Westbourne, all promoted from the Court of Appeal in England & Wales.

After the swearings-in, in the presence of the UK law officers and visiting overseas judges, Lady Hale commented that it was "quite a historic day for the court".

Click here to view the ceremony.

Also today Sir Ian Burnett became the Lord Chief Justice of England & Wales.