The Court of Justice of the European Union, Gender, and Leadership

Abstract

This chapter outlines the application of positional leadership to the Court of Justice of the European Union and shows that leadership as applied to the Court is complex and multifaceted. Women are woefully underrepresented at the Court, and the chapter outlines possible barriers to women’s appointment, focusing on the factors shaping appointment processes in particular. Through a focus on the Advocates General of the Court of Justice, the chapter then explores the women of the Court and the extent to which gender makes a difference in the work that they are assigned and do. The chapter suggests that while it is clear that women still face significant barriers to accessing these senior judicial roles, gender makes no difference in relation to the volume or type of work they do or the impact that work has.