German first lady Elke Büdenbender meets with Lady Chief Justice at Royal Courts of Justice
The German first lady and former Berlin Administrative Court judge, Elke Büdenbender, visited the Royal Courts of Justice and met with the Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill, the Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, during the first German state visit in 27 years.
On Thursday (4 December) the Lady Chief Justice welcomed Elke Büdenbender to the Royal Courts of Justice for a tour of the building followed by an informal meeting and lunch. The focus of the discussion was on women in law and the importance of the rule of law.
The delegation included Lady Rose of Colmworth, Justice of the Supreme Court, alongside the following judges and members of the legal professions of England and Wales: Lady Justice King, Lead Judge for the Judicial College; Lady Justice Whipple, Lead Diversity and Inclusion Judge; Mrs Justice Eady, Chair, International Training Committee of the Judicial College; Judge Elizabeth McMahon, President, First-tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber; Her Honour Georgina Kent, Member of the Council of Circuit Judges and former President; District Judge Charlotte Hart; Kirsty Brimelow KC, Vice Chair of the Bar Council; and Dana Denis-Smith, Vice President of the Law Society.
Following the meeting the Lady Chief Justice said:
“It was a privilege to welcome the First Lady of Germany, Elke Büdenbender, to the Royal Courts of Justice. We had an insightful discussion on mutual interests and shared experiences. The opportunity to get so many brilliant women judges together was really inspiring and a reminder of why it’s so important to do so. It was a particular pleasure for me to be able to have some of these conversations in German.”
Judicial office holders regularly visit or host their counterparts around the world as part of the judicial strategy for international engagement. This includes an extensive programme of relationship building, training, mentoring, collaboration, speeches and conference events. This mutual exchange of expertise and best practice strengthens the UK’s soft power influence and enhances the reputation of its courts, independent judiciary and world-leading legal services.