- government to fund new judicial education programme
- support from Judiciary, Judicial College and legal
professional bodies
- online education platform for potential candidates
- targeted support for underrepresented groups
Talented people from all backgrounds across the legal profession
will be given greater support to apply to become a judge, Lord
Chancellor announced today (25 April
2018).
A new online learning platform will enable candidates from all
legal backgrounds to develop their understanding of the role and
skills required of a judge, and how their legal experience has
prepared them for judicial office, prior to making an
application.
The Pre-Application Judicial Education (PAJE) programme is a
joint initiative from the Judicial Diversity Forum, which is made
up of MOJ, Judiciary, Judicial Appointments Commission, Bar
Council, Law Society and Chartered Institute of Legal Executives
and coordinates action to remove barriers to candidates from
underrepresented groups applying to be judges.
Additional, targeted support will be available to those
applicants from groups that are underrepresented in the judiciary
via discussion sessions led by judges. This will give potential
candidates insight into the realities of the role and offer an
opportunity to address any perceptions they may have on barriers
to judicial office.
Development of the programme will be funded by the MOJ, with
Forum partners contributing to further running costs.
PAJE is the first initiative delivered jointly by all members of
the Judicial Diversity Forum and partners will continue to work
together on actions to drive diversity.
Lord Chancellor, said:
Becoming a judge is a crucial form of public service at the
very heart of our society.
From my time as a solicitor I know there are excellent
candidates from right across the legal profession, and we want
to make it easier for people from all backgrounds to aspire to
these roles.
We have seen improvement in diversity in recent years, and it
is clear that widening the talent pool from which judges are
drawn can only make our world-renowned justice system even
stronger.
Lord Chief Justice, said:
I am committed to working to further improve judicial
diversity. This programme of work is an important opportunity
to offer practical assistance to underrepresented groups.
I hope that this scheme, which the judiciary and particularly
the Judicial College is taking a leading role in devising and
delivering, will widen the pool of applicants to ensure that
the best candidates, from a wide range of backgrounds, apply
for judicial posts.
, Chairman of the Judicial
Appointments Commission and the Judicial Diversity Forum, said:
The Commission warmly welcomes this initiative which will give
candidates from the widest range of backgrounds the opportunity
to better understand, prepare and develop themselves for a
future judicial role.
We look forward to reporting on its impact in future years and
hope that it will encourage talented candidates from
underrepresented groups to consider applying for judicial
appointment at the right stage in their career.
The online education programme will be available from early 2019,
with the discussion groups to follow and MOJ will work with
partners to increase awareness amongst practising legal
professionals.
The initiative builds on our £1 billion investment to reform our
courts service, to modernise processes and improving the
environment and working conditions for those who work within it,
including judges.
Notes to editors
-
MOJ funding will amount to an estimate of £152,000 over three
years. The total cost of the programme will be approximately
£300,000 including contributory costs from partners.
-
Places on the discussion sessions will be available by
application, details will be available in early 2019.
Preference will be given to applicants from underrepresented
groups; women lawyers, BAME lawyers, lawyers with
disabilities and those from a non-barrister professional
background (including solicitors and chartered legal
executives).
