Ashfords LLP lawyer appointed as first female CILEx judge

Law firm Ashfords LLP is delighted to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Johnson as a fee-paid Judge of the First Tier Tribunal in the Social Entitlement Chamber, the first female Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) practitioner to be appointed as a Judge.

Elizabeth is an Associate and Chartered Legal Executive in the Insurance and Liability Claims Team at Ashfords, a national provider of legal, professional and regulatory services that has roots in the South West. Holding over 20 years’ experience in all sectors of personal injury law, Elizabeth advises public bodies, private companies, insurers and individuals on a wide number of issues, with a particular experience in workplace accidents and public sector claims. 

Elizabeth begins with immediate effect following a highly competitive process that drew applications from solicitors, barristers and chartered legal executives. The Social Entitlement Chamber is one of seven first-tier tribunal chambers, each of which combine jurisdictions with similar interests or operating practices. Elizabeth’s role will encompass social security and child support, criminal injuries compensation, and asylum support.

Elizabeth’s appointment as the first female CILEx Judge comes at a time when the firm has announced its intended merger with Thames Valley-based Boyes Turner, resulting in a combined turnover of £60 million, with seven offices, 100 partners and 600 staff. Ashfords positive, rewarding and fair working environment enables the firm to develop lawyers for the real world like Elizabeth, drawn from diverse backgrounds and experiences, who can provide specialist advice in a real-world context. Ashfords are advocates of the many routes that can be taken to develop a career in Law. The firm currently has over 25 people that are CILEx qualified or studying towards their CILEx qualification and has taken three cohorts of apprentices since they launched the Ashfords Apprenticeship Programme in 2016.  

Commenting on her appointment, Elizabeth said: “I am very honoured to have been appointed to this role. I look forward to embracing the new challenge whilst continuing the rewarding work I do day-to-day with clients at Ashfords.

“Beyond my personal pride, this is emblematic of the great strides that are being made by the Ministry of Justice to improve diversity in the judiciary, as well as the tremendous support that my firm offers to lawyers who choose alternative routes to the profession.”