22/04/2026
Introducing our Chair of the Election Appeals Committee, Catherine Langley, who will be responsible for determining any electoral disputes arising from the Young Bar’s annual elections.
Catharine is a barrister at Westgate Chambers specialising in financial remedies of divorce, Children Act proceedings and unmarried couple disputes.
She was previously the MTYBA Pupillage Officer; she is now part of the Bar Council’s Young Bar Committee and sits on the Bar Council’s Pro Bono Committee.
Catharine has a particular interest in cryptocurrency, pensions and unmarried couple disputes.
Outside of work, Catharine enjoys assisting the future generation of junior counsel.
The Chair of the Election Appeals Committee is a newly established position introduced under the leadership of our President, Silas Boateng, to provide an independent framework for addressing electoral matters within the Young Bar.
This role has been created to deal with any electoral disputes that may arise from annual elections, while also ensuring appropriate limits on the discretionary powers of the Elections Officer.
Under the amended provision, Article 31 previously stated that “all other matters concerning the conduct of elections shall be determined by the Election Officer ,which has absolute discretion in such matters.” However, our President has taken the view that the Elections Officer’s powers and discretion should properly be confined to the administration of the electoral process, including organising the elections and formally announcing the results.
Once the results have been declared, any dispute arising from the election should be determined by an independent and impartial body—namely, the Chair of the Election Appeals Committee. Allowing the Elections Officer to adjudicate on disputes relating to an election they administered would risk undermining the principles of fairness and impartiality, and would be contrary to the fundamental rule of natural justice that one must not be a judge in their own cause (nemo judex in causa sua).
This reform does not invite electoral disputes but ensures a clear, fair and independent process for resolving any issues in future.
