£338.33 per day 28 days/year 4 years
About the role
Introduction from the Chair
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for expressing an interest in serving as a Commissioner for the Judicial Appointments Commission in one of the following roles: Professional (solicitor/CILEX Fellow) Commissioner; Professional (barrister) Commissioner; or Judicial (Circuit Judge/Senior Circuit Judge) Commissioner.
I am seeking outstanding individuals who possess personal integrity, sound judgement, discretion, strong communication skills and powerful analytical skills to serve on the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC).
I share the view that our judiciary is among the very best in the world, unrivalled for its integrity, professionalism and independence. The JAC is an independent statutory non-departmental public body established by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 which recommends candidates for appointment, on merit, to the judiciary through fair and open competition.
These roles provide the opportunity to contribute to the delivery of judicial appointments of the highest calibre and to ensure standards are maintained at a time of unprecedented demand for new judicial appointments. You will be contributing to the JAC’s important role of ensuring appointment to the judiciary is based on merit from the broadest possible pool of talent.
This is both an exciting and challenging time to join the JAC. Demand for judicial appointment recommendations will remain exceptionally high over the next few years as courts and tribunals seek to recover from the pandemic. The JAC will also seek to build on innovation, developed during the pandemic, to enhance digital tools that will support this increased workload. The JAC’s work with the Judicial Diversity Forum and its work in developing targeted outreach seeks to support a wider more diverse range of people to apply successfully for judicial appointments.
Information about the JAC, the role of a Commissioner and the skills and qualities we are seeking for these roles are set out below. If you have further questions about any aspect of the roles, please contact Alex McMurtrie, Chief Executive, alex.mcmurtrie@judicialappointments.gov.uk.
If you believe you have the experience and qualities we are seeking, I hope you consider applying for these important positions. I welcome applicants from the widest possible field and would very much look forward to receiving an application from you.
If you have questions about the appointment process, you can contact the Public Appointments Team at: PublicAppointmentsTeam@Justice.gsi.gov.uk, or call Colin Barker on 07376 212 108.
Helen Pitcher OBE
Chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission
Role description
JAC Commissioners – who are independent of government and the civil service – have the corporate responsibility for ensuring that the JAC fulfils its role under the 2005 Constitutional Reform Act so that recruitment to the judiciary is made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Commissioners are accountable to Parliament through the Lord Chancellor.
The Commissioners, currently under the leadership of Helen Pitcher OBE – the Chair of the JAC – have five core activities:
• To attend Commission meetings ten times per year in London, bringing their experience and judgement to bear on a range of important strategy, governance and policy issues. Each Commissioner is normally expected to also serve on one or two sub-Committees or working groups, each meeting remotely up to five times a year typically for a couple of hours at a time;
• To select candidates for judicial appointment based on the selection exercise programme agreed with His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and the Ministry of Justice. The Commission considers all of the information provided, including the assessments of the selection panel convened by the JAC, before making a decision as to who will be recommended to the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice or the Senior President of Tribunals for appointment;
• One or more Commissioners will also be assigned to oversee each selection process. With the exception of appointments to the High Court or above, they will not generally sit on individual selection panels, but will ensure that the process is followed, and will be part of the process that makes the final recommendation of suitable candidates;
• To ensure that recruitment for all exercises is open, fair and the best person for the job is recommended for appointment, Commissioners will regularly review the selection processes used to ensure that they are fit for purpose; and
• To ensure that the JAC undertakes its statutory duty of having regard to the need to encourage diversity in the range of persons available for selection for appointments. In doing so it is expected that Commissioners take part in external events, including speaking at seminars, conferences and meetings, and making presentations to key interested parties, individuals and groups.
The Commissioners work closely with JAC staff who undertake the day-to-day process of selecting candidates to the judiciary.
Duties
The main responsibilities of the Commissioners are to:
- Maintain the values of the JAC, particularly selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition;
- Oversee a number of selection exercises ensuring that the most suitable candidates are recommended for appointment to either the Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief Justice or Senior President of Tribunals;
- Take part in and influence debates about the strategic objectives, performance and constitutional role of the JAC; and
- Promote the JAC and to have regard to the need to encourage diversity in the range of persons available for selection for appointments.
The successful candidate will have the ability to:
- Work as a member of a body of Commissioners, through plenary and sub-Committee discussions, who are respected for their professionalism, valued for their contribution, and who constantly seek ways to improve their performance and that of those with whom they work in partnership;
- Develop strategy for the Commission;
- Work constructively with HMCTS and MoJ, while upholding JAC values and the integrity of the selection process;
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Carry the confidence of JAC’s key interested parties by ensuring that the most suitable candidates are recommended for appointment, with lay members taking part in selection panels for the most senior judicial appointments; and
- Participate in relevant outreach in order to provide insight into how best to access the Commission and opportunities;
Organisation description
JAC Description:
Established in April 2006 under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (CRA), the JAC is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. The JAC has a major constitutional role. It selects candidates for judicial office. It does this through a clear and accountable process involving fair and open competition. It selects candidates solely on merit, including good character, and from a pool comprising a wide range of eligible diverse candidates.
Its remit extends to all courts and tribunals in England and Wales, up to and including the High Court, and also some tribunals with a UK-wide jurisdiction across a wide range of legal and non-legal specialisms.
Board composition
1. Helen Pitcher OBE – Chair
2. Lord Justice Warby – Vice Chair
3. Mr Justice Adam Johnson
4. Judge Greg Sinfield
5. HHJ Anuja Dhir KC
6. VACANT – Judicial
7. VACANT – Judicial
8. Emir Feisal
9. Brie Stevens-Hoare KC
10. Sarah Lee
11. Susan Hoyle
12. Simon Wessely
13. Jane Furniss
14. Andrew Kennon
15. Rt. Rev. Dr Barry Morgan
Regulation of appointment
Person specification
Essential criteria
Candidates will be able to demonstrate the following:
- Personal integrity, party-political impartiality;
- A commitment to the highest standards in public life and to the values of the JAC, including appointment on merit, the importance of diversity, and an understanding of the independence of the judiciary and of the importance of comity between judiciary and government;
- An independent mind with excellent judgement and powerful analytical skills, able to interpret complex information and make robust selection decisions which stand up to scrutiny;
- Credibility and personal authority, such as to command the confidence of key stakeholders and able to chair selection panels and (for Lay Commissioners) to sit as a panel member for the most senior appointments;
- Excellent listening skills, interpersonal skills and a collegial approach to decision-making, able to assimilate different Commissioner perspectives and provide considered decisions based upon consensus; and
- Effective communication skills to represent the Commission in meetings and externally.
Desirable criteria
Professional Commissioner: Barrister
- Active membership of the Bar Council and/or other organisations or associations representing barristers; and
- Recent and substantial understanding or experience of appointments processes in different environments.
- Experience of diversity and widening representation.
Professional Commissioner: Solicitor
- Active membership of the Law Society and/or other organisations or associations representing solicitors;
- Recent and substantial understanding or experience of appointments processes in different environments.
- Experience of diversity and widening representation.
Professional Commissioner: CILEX Fellow
- Active membership of CILEX and/or other organisations or associations representing the Chartered Legal Executive profession;
- Recent and substantial understanding or experience of appointments processes in different environments.
- Experience of diversity and widening representation.
Judicial (Circuit Judge or Senior Circuit Judge) Commissioner
- Active membership of the Council of Circuit Judges or other organisations representing circuit judges;
- Recent and substantial understanding or experience of appointments processes in different environments;
- An understanding of the court system more generally, including assignment and deployment policies.
- Experience of diversity and widening representation.