Two female judges are battling it out to become the first woman to lead England ... trends now
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The next lord chief justice will be a woman for the first time since the position was created more than 750 years ago.
Dame Victoria Sharp, 67, a senior High Court judge, and Dame Sue Carr, 58, an Appeal Court judge, are the final two candidates to head the judiciary in England and Wales.
It means British constitutional law may have to be amended to accommodate the title 'Lady Chief Justice' as it is currently a solely male title in the form of 'Lord'.
There have been more than 100 male holders since the post was established in 1268.
But Alex Chalk, the Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, is expected to announce the first woman to take the position in the next two weeks.
Dame Victoria Sharp is the favourite to succeed the retiring Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett
Dame Sue Carr, a Court of Appeal judge since April 2020, is described by legal insiders as having a more 'outwardly confident personality'
A specially chosen panel whittled the contenders down to the final two before Mr Chalk and the Prime Minister's final recommendation will be approved by the King.
Dame Victoria, whose twin brother is the former Goldman Sachs banker Richard Sharp – who