Non Executive Directorships

Family Procedure Rule Committee – Lay Member

Location: London

Date Posted: 05/02/2025

Closing Date: 05/03/2025

About the appointment

Appointment description

Members of the Committee have collective responsibility for the operation of the FPRC. They must:

Engage fully in collective consideration of the issues, taking account of the full range of relevant factors, including any guidance issued by the Ministry of Justice or by the Lord Chancellor.
Ensure that its responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act (including prompt responses to public requests for information) are discharged; agree an Annual Report; and, where practicable and appropriate, hold at least one meeting a year in public.
Respond appropriately to complaints, if necessary, with reference to the Ministry of Justice.
Ensure that the Committee does not exceed its powers or functions.

Organisation description

The Family Procedure Rule Committee (FPRC) was set up, in October 2004, to make Family Procedure Rules. The aim is to produce one set of simple and simply expressed rules of court for all family proceedings in the High Court and, as they were then known, the county courts and magistrates’ courts. The Family Procedure Rules were made, in 2010, and implemented in April 2011. The Rules and supporting Practice Direction will be maintained and developed to support new legislation and policy initiatives.

Day-to-day management of the committee’s agenda, and the programme of work, which springs from it, is undertaken by the committee secretariat, in close consultation with the chair of the committee. The secretariat is part of a team of policy officials at the Ministry of Justice tasked with managing the committee’s work.

The Committee meets in London on average once a month (excluding January, August and September). Papers are circulated four days in advance of the meetings, to afford members the time to study the papers. The committee is supported by a dedicated secretariat who will provide an introduction information pack and support for all new members.

The appointment will be for a period of three years subject to a satisfactory appraisal carried out after the first year of service and then annually and will commence from September 2024.

The role of members is to balance the views of the judiciary and legal profession with their experience from elsewhere in the family law sector, and the broader impact that the rules have on those involved.

Board composition

Members of the Committee have collective responsibility for the operation of the FPRC. They must:

· Engage fully in collective consideration of the issues, taking account of the full range of relevant factors, including any guidance issued by the Ministry of Justice or by the Lord Chancellor.

· Ensure that its responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act (including prompt responses to public requests for information) are discharged; agree an Annual Report; and, where practicable and appropriate, hold at least one meeting a year in public.

· Respond appropriately to complaints, if necessary, with reference to the Ministry of Justice.

· Ensure that the Committee does not exceed its powers or functions.

Communications between the Committee and the Lord Chancellor will generally be through the Chair. Nevertheless, any Committee member has the right of access to Ministers on any matter which he or she believes raises important issues relating to his or her duties as a Committee member. In such cases, the agreement of the rest of the Committee should normally be sought.

From time to time issues of a confidential nature may arise during Committee work. The duty of confidentiality obliges members to respect the confidentiality of such work. Confidential information that members obtain during the course of membership of the Committee must not be used for the benefit of their own or others use.

Individual Committee members can be removed from office by the Lord Chancellor if they fail to perform the duties required of them in line with the standards expected in public office.

Regulation of appointment

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website

Person specification

Essential criteria

Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria for the post will also be able to demonstrate the following:

• Interest in the broad field of law concerning family courts and the rule making process;

• Evidence of sound committee experience and inter-personal skills;

• Evidence of the ability to take an active and influential part in debate, and to make time to serve on the Committee;

• A commitment to valuing inclusion and diversity;

• Understanding and knowledge of the court processes and administrative procedures within the family jurisdiction; and

• Commitment to the simplification and reform of family justice procedures.

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Other Positions Available:

Windrush Commissioner

Location: Various

Date Posted: 20/02/2025

Closing Date: 20/03/2025