The Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission (NIJAC) welcomes the news that Her Majesty the Queen has approved the appointment of The Honourable Mrs Justice Keegan as Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. On swearing-in at the beginning of September 2021 the new Lady Chief Justice will concurrently become the new Chair of NIJAC.
Prior to becoming a judge, Mrs Justice Keegan graduated in 1993 from Queen’s University Belfast with LLB Honours. She was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 1994 and became a Queen’s Counsel in 2006. Mrs Justice Keegan was appointed as one of Northern Ireland’s first two female High Court Judges in October 2015 and will now become the first Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland.
Mrs Justice Keegan is a current NIJAC Judicial Commissioner having been appointed to the role in November 2018. Subsequent to her appointment she has been involved in a range of judicial appointments processes, outreach activities and in setting the strategic direction of the Commission.
NIJAC wishes to extend its warmest congratulations to Mrs Justice Keegan on her new appointment.