Madam Justice Lorraine Schembri Orland has been elected to the European Court of Human Rights.

Three candidates for the post were originally proposed by Malta, after candidates were interviewed locally and the applications were assessed.

The three candidates were later interviewed by the Council of Europe's Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights, who recommended her as the most qualified candidate.

The next and final step was the plenary vote which took place today. "Lorraine Schembri Orland, having obtained an absolute majority of votes cast, is elected a judge of the European Court of Human Rights for a term of office of nine years which shall commence as from 20 September 2019," the Council of Europe reports. She is the first ever female judge on the European Court of Human Rights from Malta. 

Madam Justice Schembri Orland was appointed to the bench in 2012. She currently presides over the Civil Court, First Hall which has civil competence, as well as original jurisdiction in matters of Fundamental Human Rights as guaranteed by the Maltese Constitution and by the European Convention on Human Rights. She also preside over the Civil Court (Voluntary Jurisdiction) which is competent in matters of probate, minority, interdiction and incapacitation, guardianships, trusts, foundations and cross border successions,

In 1976-1981, she concluded her University of Malta - Doctorate of Laws (LL.D.). In 1994-1996 she concluded her Magister Juris in European Law -(M.Jur.) (Eur. Law) from the University of Malta.

Between 1988-1990, she was an elected member to the Executive Board of the Conseil International des Femmes (ICW). Between 1991-1993, she was a member of drafting committee entrusted with broad legislative reforms to the Constitution of Malta and to the ordinary law in order to eliminate discrimination on the basis of gender as part of Malta's process of accession to the UN CEDAW Convention.

Prior to becoming a Judge, she had held positions with The European Council of Women, was a member of the National Consultative Committee on Bioethics, was a member of the founding committee of San Blas Drug Rehabilitation Centre set up by Caritas (Malta), and others.