By Sheila Mckenzie-
A judge has apologized to counsel for making a sexist comment, the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office revealed.
In a statement yesterday, the JCIO said the lord chief justice, with the lord chancellor’s agreement, issued Deputy Insolvencies and Companies Court judge Daniel Schaffer with formal advice for making a sexist comment to counsel.
The nature of the formal advice was not revealed, neither were any details of the sexist comment in question. An apology may not be enough, depending on the nature of the sexist comment- which has been withheld, clearly to protect the image of the judiciary.
The JCIO is an independent statutory body that supports the lord chancellor and lord chief justice in their responsibilities for judicial discipline. Its statutory remit is to deal with complaints of personal behaviour .
Releasing incomplete information to the public about an incidence of this nature without an explanation of the reasons is unsatisfactory. Misdemeanors reported about other professional are usually given in full, Orividing partial information appears to be one rule for one and one for another.The statement released by the JCIO also did not state whether the female in question was satisfied with the apology.
‘In reaching their decision, they considered the judge’s long and previously unblemished record of service, that he accepted responsibility for his actions, and that he had apologized to counsel,’ the JCIO spokesperson said.
The JCIO is an independent statutory body that supports the lord chancellor and lord chief justice in their responsibilities for judicial discipline. Its statutory remit is to deal with complaints of personal behaviour .
Last year Judge Schaeffer oversaw a bankruptcy hearing involving champion cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins, who was accused of owing money to HM Revenue and Customs.
The Judge dismissed the petition against the Olympic gold medalist after hearing lawyers had already met to come to a private agreement.
Judge Schaffer is also chair of the Bristol Law School Advisory Board and was awarded an honorary degree by Bristol in 2016. Since graduating from the Law School in 1986, he has gone on to have a stellar career in achieving partner status at the most prestigious law firm, Slaughter and May – the first ever lateral partner appointment made in London. Dan has also taught at Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Warwick and Bristol University.
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