The pair will succeed outgoing chair James Toal BL in a first for the association, which represents members of the Bar in their first seven years of practice.

In a joint statement on their election, Ms Cunningham and Ms Graham said: “We are both delighted and very proud to have been elected. We have both been members of the Young Bar Association committee for the past few years and are excited to now lead the committee as co-chairs.

“We welcome the opportunity to work together in what will likely be a challenging year for all members of the profession, and particularly for the Young Bar, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

They added: “A key priority for us will be promoting the long-term sustainability of a flourishing and diverse Young Bar which is crucial for access to justice in Northern Ireland.

“It is wonderful to have two young, female lawyers as co-chairs of the Young Bar Association, particularly as we recently marked 100 years of women in law. We generally practice in different areas of law and hope to bring different perspectives and experiences to the role.”

The pair also thanked Mr Toal and members of the YBA committee for their hard work over the past year.