THE new judges were appointed by Queen Elizabeth following a process overseen by the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission.
Ms Denise McBride QC is a former pupil of Clough Primary School and Down High School in Downpatrick.
She graduated from Queen's University, Belfast, with an LLB Honours degree in June 1988 and was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland the following year. She was appointed a Queen's Counsel in September 2011.
Ms McBride has appeared as an advocate at all court levels, including the UK's Supreme Court and specialised in chancery, family, civil and international law.
In 2006 she was appointed an Honorary Lecturer at Queen's University in recognition of long service as a tutor and guest lecturer.
She has held a position as honorary lecturer at Queen's and served as Vice Chair of the Bar Council from 2012-2014 before being replaced in the role by fellow new High Court judge Mrs Keegan.
Mrs Siobhan Keegan QC is a former pupil of St. Clare's Primary School, Newry, and Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry,
Mrs Keegan graduated with LLB Hons from Queen's University in July 1993 and was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in September 1994.
She was appointed QC in 2006 and while specialising in family law has also worked in a range of other areas, including criminal, judicial review, and other civil law.
Mrs Keegan has been a Bar member on the Children Order Advisory Committee, a long-standing member of the Judicial Liaison Family Law Committee and was Chair of the Family Bar Association for two years from 2011-2013.
Prior to the appointments, around 22 per cent of senior judicial posts were filled by women, with none at High Court level or above.
The two new appointees fill places on the High Court Bench vacated by Justice Reginald Weir and Justice Ronald Weatherup who were both elevated to Appeal Court judges over the summer.
Both women were on a reserve list of candidates.
