Read the room. If you don’t want to detract from his achievement, then maybe don’t? Write a policy paper or something and send it to the regulator.

This is so aspiring, to see someone so young achieve such an unbelievable accomplishment is something that’s so valuable for our generation to see. Joining the judiciary is such a rewarding and respectable path, which will continue to unveil itself in the many years you have to come.

This next comment is not intended to detract from his achievement, but his appointment and the others referred to in the story do raise a serious point about judicial career structure.

It used to be the case that most judges below the High Court would not be promoted and could be understood to take the job on that basis. There were occasional promotions of circuit judges to the High Court and of District Judges to the Circuit bench, but they were unusual. They were appointed in their late 40s or older and could do 20 years to get the pension and then retire.

We now have young people choosing a career as a judge with uncertain prospects of promotion and, more importantly, restrictions on going back into practice as a lawyer. Surely it’s time to review both, ideally offering a clear path to promotion to avoid boredom/frustration, or allowing young judges to go back to private practice if they want to.

As I say, I don’t want to undermine Carlton’s achievement. He has done something quite remarkable.

But if I was his age, I would be reluctant to trust future governments for the next 30 years about pay, working conditions, pensions etc and take a job which I would struggle to leave. The present government has already screwed judges over pensions and is on the receiving end of ET claims brought by them. Does anyone think it will get better?

Seeing someone so young, and from a diverse background, joining the judiciary is fundamental to ensuring fair outcomes.