A rewarding career
With more judicial positions open to CILEX members than ever before, Judicial Appointments Commission chair Helen Pitcher OBE offers advice to those considering applying and outlines the support available to aspiring CILEX judges
The legislative changes made in June, allowing experienced CILEX members to apply for more senior roles in the judiciary for the first time, were welcome news.
As the recently appointed chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), I am deeply committed to its statutory duties of both making judicial appointments solely on merit and broadening the pool of applicants available to serve in our courts and tribunals. Opening up a greater number of legal roles to CILEX Lawyers means new pools of talented candidates from a wide range of backgrounds become available.
We want to make the judiciary more representative of the population it serves and for this to happen at a faster pace. No single organisation can achieve this alone, which is why we work extensively with partners to remove barriers and ensure that a wide a range of people are supported and encouraged to apply for judicial selection.
“Being a judge is one of the most important public service roles in the country. New and existing judges regularly tell us that their roles are incredibly challenging and complex, whilst being highly rewarding”
Being a judge is one of the most important public service roles in the country. New and existing judges regularly tell us that their roles are incredibly challenging and complex, whilst being highly rewarding.
Many CILEX members clearly have the skills and qualities required, even though they may have taken less traditional routes to a legal career.
The recruitment process for judicial roles is, as you might expect, rigorous and extremely competitive. We continue to receive high numbers of applications for most roles we advertise, and many candidates are not successful the first time around. But please don’t let this discourage you.
Working with CILEX to break down barriers
For the judicial roles that are the ones CILEX members have previously been eligible to apply for, such as deputy district judge and judge of the First-tier Tribunal, we receive around 100 applications from CILEX candidates each year.
We already work closely with the CILEX president and leaders of the other legal professions as part of the Judicial Diversity Forum (JDF), which I chair. The forum brings together senior leaders from across the legal sector to identify and deliver ways of increasing judicial diversity. Our objective is to resolve issues of common concern and coordinate practical action to improve diversity, as well as carefully assess the impact of existing activity and measure progress.
Through the forum, we are able to work collectively to share insights and collaborate to deliver against our published JDF action plan, which outlines the work that partners are doing both independently and collaboratively to improve judicial diversity.
Ready to apply?
So, what should CILEX members do if they are thinking about a future judicial role? My clear message to you is to prepare, prepare, prepare.
There are extensive materials on our website with information and initiatives to support you. I would encourage CILEX members – or indeed anyone thinking about applying for a judicial role – to use these resources and to also consider whether you may be eligible for one of the support schemes on offer such as the pre-application judicial education programme (PAJE) and the targeted outreach programme.
PAJE launched in 2019 and is a dedicated programme aimed at helping people from all legal backgrounds to feel more confident, equipped and prepared when thinking about applying for a judicial role in the future. The programme includes online video resources and judge-led discussion groups run by the groups representing each of the three main legal professions – CILEX, the Bar Council, and the Law Society – where potential candidates cover some of the key skills and attributes needed to be a good judge.
An evaluation of PAJE undertaken in 2022 showed the positive impact of the programme through improved success rates in judicial exercises and the majority of participants saying it provided them with greater knowledge about the judiciary and increased their confidence to apply.
The JAC-led targeted outreach programme aims to support improved outcomes in JAC exercises for specific under-represented groups, including women, ethnic minority candidates and disabled candidates. Participants receive tailored advice and support in preparing for the process. This might range from guidance in accessing judicial mentoring and coaching or suitable sitting experience, to advice and support on confidence building and overcoming imposter syndrome. Participants may also be matched with a judicial guide to provide additional support regarding the selection process.
Following a successful two-year pilot, the programme has been relaunched this year as a permanent scheme. With thanks to the Lord Chief Justice and Senior Presiding Judge, the judicial guide scheme has also been co-badged with the judiciary as a joint initiative.
It has also been expanded to include all legal roles, which provides CILEX Lawyers with further opportunities to apply for support when making a judicial application.
CILEX-specific support
Our JAC board includes a commissioner – currently District Judge Mathu Asokan – who has specific responsibility for CILEX, ensuring that talented individuals are encouraged and supported to apply for judicial posts.
As part of her role, Judge Asokan oversees the support delivered to CILEX members in understanding and preparing for the selection process, for example through online resources and professional support schemes.
Currently, Judge Asokan and the team at the JAC are working with the Judicial Office to design an outreach event specifically for CILEX members to provide information on the role of a judge and the JAC selection process and to encourage applications from CILEX members. You will be able to find out more on the JAC website and through our social media channels in due course.
I warmly welcome the government’s move to widen access to judicial roles for CILEX members. It will help broaden the experience and expertise available within the judiciary taking decisions in courts and tribunals across the country. I hope that many CILEX members will consider existing and future opportunities in the judiciary, prepare thoroughly for the process, and take that next step by applying for roles.