Case studies

I qualified as a chartered surveyor in 1985, becoming a Fellow in January 2000. I have a varied professional career ranging from a trainee general practice surveyor in Mid Wales to being appointed as a staff surveyor for Nationwide Building Society in Shropshire.

My parents are from East Africa, as first-generation immigrants they came to the UK in the 1970s. I was born and raised in North London.

I worked as a commercial property solicitor in the City pretty much throughout my career, becoming head of global real estate. I had a great time, but after 30 years I was ready for a different culture and new experiences.

After qualifying as a barrister, I completed pupillage in a leading set of chambers in Cardiff in 1979. There was only one female member of those chambers with very few other women practising anywhere in Wales, a level of representation reflected throughout the judiciary at that time.

I qualified as a solicitor in 2012 and the focus of my private practice is intellectual property and technology litigation.

I originate from Hertfordshire and attended state schools there. I was fortunate enough to have some truly inspiring teachers and went on to read English at Wadham College, Oxford.

I had never thought of becoming a judge, as it seemed to be something that barristers in independent practice did, and I was an in-house employed barrister and had no judicial experience...

I was born and raised in Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. I was the eldest daughter of the well-respected village butcher, who pushed me to go to grammar school and from the age of 13 years old, I developed a very definite aspiration to become a solicitor.

I spent the first 12 years of my career in private practice in Camden Town, becoming a partner soon after qualification and building up one of the largest specialist housing teams at the time. 

Karen Walden-Smith is currently the Designated Civil Judge (DCJ) for East Anglia and a Deputy High Court Judge (DHCJ). She practised as a barrister and sat as a Recorder before being appointed as a full-time Circuit Judge in 2010.