Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness Hale of Richmond
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Official portrait, 2024
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| President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | |||||||||
| In office 5 September 2017 – 11 January 2020 |
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| Nominated by | David Lidington | ||||||||
| Appointed by | Elizabeth II | ||||||||
| Deputy |
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| Preceded by | The Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | The Lord Reed of Allermuir | ||||||||
| Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | |||||||||
| In office 28 June 2013 – 4 September 2017 |
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| Nominated by | Chris Grayling | ||||||||
| President | The Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury | ||||||||
| Preceded by | The Lord Hope of Craighead | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | The Lord Mance | ||||||||
| Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom | |||||||||
| In office 1 October 2009 – 28 June 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Office created | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Lord Hamblen of Kersey | ||||||||
| Lord of Appeal in Ordinary | |||||||||
| In office 12 January 2004 – 30 September 2009 |
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| Preceded by | The Lord Millett | ||||||||
| Succeeded by | Office abolished | ||||||||
| Lady Justice of Appeal | |||||||||
| In office 1999–2003 |
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| High Court Judge | |||||||||
| In office 1994–1999 |
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| Appointed by | Elizabeth II | ||||||||
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 12 January 2004 |
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| Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong | |||||||||
| In office 30 July 2018 – 29 July 2021 |
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| Appointed by | Carrie Lam | ||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||
| Born |
Brenda Marjorie Hale
31 January 1945 Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, England |
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| Spouses |
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| Children | Julia Hoggett | ||||||||
| Alma mater | Girton College, Cambridge | ||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Chinese | 何熙怡 | ||||||||
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Brenda Marjorie Hale, also known as Baroness Hale of Richmond, is a very important British judge. She was born on January 31, 1945.
She made history by becoming the first woman to lead the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. This is the highest court in the UK. She served as its President from 2017 until she retired in 2020.
Before that, she was also the first woman to be appointed as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 2004. This was a top legal position in the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament. When the Supreme Court was created in 2009, she became one of its first judges. She also served as the Deputy President of the Supreme Court from 2013 to 2017.
Lady Hale is one of only five women who have been judges in the UK Supreme Court. She also worked as a judge in Hong Kong's highest court for a few years. She is known for her strong belief in equality and fairness in the law.
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Early Life and Education
Brenda Marjorie Hale was born in Leeds, England, on January 31, 1945. Both of her parents were headteachers, which means they were in charge of schools. She grew up with two sisters.
Her family moved to Richmond, North Yorkshire, when she was three years old. She went to Richmond High School for Girls. All three sisters, including Brenda, were chosen to be "head girl" at their school.
Brenda was the first student from her school to go to Cambridge University. She studied law at Girton College, Cambridge. In her class, there were only six women and 110 men. She finished at the top of her class in 1966.
After university, she became a law lecturer at the University of Manchester. She also became a barrister in 1969. This means she could argue cases in court.
For 18 years, Lady Hale mostly worked as a university professor. In 1984, she became the first woman and youngest person to join the Law Commission. This group helps to make laws better. She helped change many family laws during her nine years there. In 1989, she became a Queen's Counsel, which is a special title for experienced barristers.
Becoming a Judge
Lady Hale started her career as a part-time judge in 1989. In 1994, she became a full-time judge in the Family Division of the High Court. When she became a High Court judge, she was given the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
In 1999, Lady Hale made history again. She became only the second woman ever to be appointed to the Court of Appeal. This is a very important court that hears appeals from lower courts. At the same time, she joined the Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, which is a group of advisors to the King or Queen.
On January 12, 2004, she became the first woman to be appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. This meant she became a "life peer" as Baroness Hale of Richmond. As a life peer, she could sit in the House of Lords and help make laws. She was a "Crossbencher," meaning she didn't belong to a specific political party.
In June 2013, she became the Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Then, in July 2017, she was chosen to be the next President of the Supreme Court. She officially started this role in September 2017.
Important Work as President
In December 2018, Lady Hale spoke about how important it is for judges to be from different backgrounds. She believed that having more women and people from minority groups as judges would make the public trust the courts more. However, she did not believe in choosing judges based on their background alone, but always on their skills and merits.
In September 2019, a big case came before the Supreme Court. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, had suspended Parliament. Lady Hale and the other 10 Supreme Court judges all agreed that this suspension was against the law. This was a very important decision that showed the power of the courts. Lady Hale said she felt "satisfaction" about the ruling.
Lady Hale retired from the Supreme Court in January 2020 when she reached the required retirement age.
Work in Hong Kong
In 2018, Lady Hale was also appointed as a non-permanent judge for the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong. This meant she would help hear cases in Hong Kong's highest court.
However, in 2020, a new national security law was put in place in Hong Kong. Lady Hale became worried about how this law might affect justice. In June 2021, she decided not to continue her role as a judge in Hong Kong after her term ended. She was the first senior British judge to leave Hong Kong's top court because of concerns about this new law.
Life in the House of Lords
Lady Hale became a member of the House of Lords in 2004 when she was appointed as a law lord. This allowed her to take part in making laws for the country.
Even after she retired as a judge, she continued to be a member of the House of Lords. In 2023, she gave her first speech in the House of Lords since retiring from her judicial role. She explained that she had been hesitant to participate before, but now wanted to play a small part.
Key Ideas and Speeches
Lady Hale has given many important speeches about law and justice. In one speech in 2019, she talked about something called the "Brenda Agenda." This idea means that women are equal to men and should have the same rights and freedoms. It also means that women's experiences are just as important as men's in shaping the law.
She believes that the law should reflect the lives and experiences of everyone, not just men.
Achievements and Recognition
Lady Hale has received many honours for her contributions to law:
- In 1989, she became a Queen's Counsel (QC).
- In 1994, she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
- In 1999, she joined the Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, which gave her the title "The Right Honourable."
- The Law Building at the University of Salford was named after her in 2008.
- In 2017, she received an Honorary Fellowship from Bristol University, which is the highest honour they can give.
- In 2022, she received the Hibernian Law Medal for her outstanding work in justice.
- A passage leading into Gray's Inn, a famous legal society, was named "Lady Hale Gate" in her honour in 2021.
Personal Life
In 1968, Lady Hale married John Hoggett, a law lecturer. They had one daughter, Julia Hoggett, who is now a successful business leader. They divorced in 1992. Later that year, she married Julian Farrand, who was also a law professor.
Lady Hale has appeared on TV shows like MasterChef in 2018. In 2021, she was a guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, where guests choose music to take to a desert island. She also helped unveil a special blue plaque for Helena Normanton, a pioneer for women barristers.
Images for kids
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Lady Hale's Coat of Arms. The castles represent Richmond, and the scrolls represent law. The crowned frogs are a fun symbol related to her husband and her collection of frog items.
See also
