Following an open recruitment process, the Lady Chief Justice has announced the appointment of Michelle Crotty as the new Chief Executive of the Judicial Office.
Michelle brings a wealth of legal experience to the role and joins from the Serious Fraud Office where she is Chief Capability Officer, a role which she has held since August 2020.
Michelle’s career in law began when she qualified as a solicitor in 1999.
After eight years in private criminal law practice, she joined the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office, later moving to the CPS when the two offices merged. Michelle joined the Sentencing Council as a legal advisor in 2010, becoming Head of the Office for the Sentencing Council in 2011 until she joined the Attorney General’s Office in 2014, first as lead of its criminal team and then as Director.
Michelle’s previous roles include Director of the National Crime Agency, where she was responsible for the agency’s strategic performance and communications divisions, and as Director and Deputy Head of the Attorney General’s Office for four years, between 2015 and 2019 where she was responsible for strategic relationships with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), SFO and Government Legal Department.
In her role in the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Michelle is responsible for oversight of the SFO’s corporate services and technology functions, as well as leading on the SFO’s strategy, communications and business planning, change delivery and chief investigator functions.
Michelle will be joining the Judicial Office on Monday 22 April. Clare Farren and Amy Shaw will remain as joint interim CEO until this time.
Law Society of England and Wales president Nick Emmerson, commented:
“We would like to congratulate Michelle Crotty on her appointment.
We’re happy to see a solicitor appointed to the role. We look forward to working with the new CEO to ensure the best and the brightest from all backgrounds are given a real chance at a judicial career.”
