Number of solicitors taking silk doubles

Six solicitors are among 113 new Queen’s counsel appointments announced today by the independent selection panel. That is twice as many as last year, with number of applications from solicitor-advocates up to 13 in this round compared with nine last time.

As usual the list is dominated by arbitration specialists from City and international firms.

The six include:

* Adam Johnson, partner in the disputes resolution division in the London office of Herbert Smith Freehills;

* David Kavanagh, global co-head of Skadden’s nternational litigation and arbitration group, based in London;

* Benjamin Juratowitch, global head of Freshfields’ public international law practice and a partner in the international arbitration group;

* John Savage, a partner in King & Spalding’s international arbitration group; and

* Michael Young, recently appointed a partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan in Paris and former co-head of Allen & Overy’s global arbitration practice.

The appointment of Bird & Bird’s Jonathan Taylor is something of a departure on previous years, in that he is a leading sports lawyer who regularly appears before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.

Though all the new solicitor QCs are men, the QC Appointments Commission stressed that it is making progress in boosting diversity. Among the 113 appointments this year are 31 women (of 56 who applied), compared with 25 of 48 last year. Of 37 non-white applicants who applied 16 were appointed, compared with nine of 32 last time. And 20 over-50s were appointed, compared with 13 last year. Two of the four applicants who declared a disability were appointed.

Eight of nine applicants who declared they were gay or bisexual were appointed, compared with the 7 of 12 in the last round.

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Number of solicitors taking silk doubles