Welcome to the July 2019 edition of Judging Your Future, the monthly JAC newsletter. We hope you are having a pleasant summer and staying cool during the heatwave.
Please see below for more information on open and forthcoming selection exercises - including exciting non-legal vacancies.
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Sign-up to test-run the JAC’s selection materials
If you’re considering judicial appointment and want to experience what the application process involves, you can volunteer to be a mock candidate.
The JAC dry-runs online qualifying tests, role plays and interviews for selection exercises to ensure the selection materials are fair and robust. We are looking for mock candidates to test-run elements of the selection process.
The experience can help you decide if you’re ready to apply and to understand where you may need development.
If you volunteer as a mock candidate, you will not be able to apply when that specific selection exercise is run. Taking part won’t affect your future applications.
You can sign-up online with your preferences and the JAC will contact you when a suitable opportunity arises.
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Applications open: Open now
Closing date: 8 August 2019
Number of vacancies: 2
Salary: £151,497
Location: Teesside and Cardiff
The JAC has been asked to identify two candidates to recommend for the post of Senior Circuit Judge, Resident Judge, Teesside, and Senior Circuit Judge, Resident Judge, Cardiff, Newport and Merthyr Tydfil Crown Courts (Recorder of Cardiff).
Who can apply
This exercise is open to:
- Circuit Judges
- Solicitors and Barristers in England and Wales with at least 7 years post qualification legal experience
- Recorders and
- those who have held, as a full-time appointment for at least 3 years, one of the offices listed in Part 1A of Schedule 2 to the Courts Act 1971
Additional selection criteria
Candidates are expected to have previous judicial experience, sitting as a judge in a salaried or fee-paid capacity or a similar role such as the chair of an equivalent body for which a legal qualification is required.
The length of judicial experience required is a minimum of 30 completed sitting days since appointment, not including training or sick days.
Candidates for posts in Wales need to have an understanding, or the ability to acquire the understanding, of the administration of justice in Wales, including legislation applicable to Wales and Welsh devolution arrangements.
About the role
Every Crown Court has a Resident Judge, responsible for leading the judiciary at the court and for ensuring the efficient and effective discharge of judicial business.
Through the Presiding Judges on Circuit, Resident Judges assist the Lord Chief Justice in discharging his overall responsibility for representing the views of the judiciary; for maintaining appropriate arrangements for the welfare, training and guidance of the judiciary; and for maintaining arrangements for the deployment of the judiciary and the allocation of work within the courts.
Resident Judges are responsible for ensuring effective case management within the court centre as well as managing their own cases and caseload. This includes working with other judges at the court centre to ensure that work is done in accordance with current guidelines and good practice, and action is taken to improve performance to enable the court to discharge its business promptly and effectively.
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Applications open: 26 September 2019 – 13:00
Closing date: 10 October, 2019 - 13:00
Salary: £140,289
Location: 4 vacancies - 1 post in London Central, London South, South East, North West
Regional Employment Judges of the Employment Tribunals sit throughout England and Wales, currently in 10 Regional Offices and 28 or more hearing centres.
Regional Employment Judges exercise a delegated responsibility from the President of Employment Tribunals for managing the judicial resources in their region. The main activities of a Regional Employment judge are:
- allocating cases to Judges and Members
- determining the composition of Tribunals hearing cases
- overseeing judicial training and management of judicial standards
- ensuring high standards of case management and hearings, by providing appropriate guidance, advice and support
- carrying out performance and development appraisal for Judges
- maintaining a close working relationship with local and regional HMCTS management and the listing staff
- assisting the President, as part of the national leadership and committee structure of the Employment Tribunals, on a wide range of strategic and policy matters, as directed by the President
In addition, Regional Employment Judges sit regularly, including on cases which are particularly difficult, sensitive or significant and cases remitted on appeal.
Who can apply?
By statute, this competition is only open to salaried Employment Judges. In addition, candidates should be able to offer a reasonable length of service, usually of 5 years, before the statutory retirement age of 70.
Sign up for alerts to receive email notifications concerning the progress of this exercise up to launch.
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Applications open: 15 August 2019, 13:00
Closing date: 5 September 2019, 13:00
Number of vacancies: 10
Fee: £290.80 a day
Locations: UK-wide
The JAC has been asked to identify 10 candidates suitable for immediate selection as Fee-paid (Specialist Information Rights) Members of the Upper Tribunal assigned to the Administrative Appeals Chamber and First-tier Tribunal General Regulatory Chamber (Information Rights).
About the role
Fee-paid non-legal members sit with a First-tier Tribunal Judge to determine appeals from decisions of the Information Commissioner made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and Data Protection Act 2018/GDPR. The cases may concern access to information by a member of the public, or enforcement action taken by the Information Commissioner.
Non-legal members bring an important lay perspective to hearings, but are expected to have a sound professional knowledge of at least one of the main legislative areas. Professional experience of modern data handling including data analytics would be an advantage.
Fee-paid members can expect to dedicate approximately 30 days a year to tribunal business (including a minimum of 15 sitting days).
Sign up for alerts to receive email notifications concerning the progress of this exercise up to launch.
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Applications open: September 2019 - TBC
Closing date: Autumn 2019 - TBC
Number of vacancies: 80
Fee: £497.76 per day. If a patient examination is required, you will receive an additional fee of £183.00.
Location: Across England
The JAC is looking for up to 80 consultant psychiatrists to serve as medical members.
About the tribunal
The Health Education and Social Care Chamber (Mental Health) is responsible for deciding upon the necessity for the continued compulsory detention of mentally disordered patients in hospital or the continuation of a conditional discharge, guardianship, or a community treatment order.
The powers of the Tribunal are significant, with a responsibility to balance the liberty of the subject with potentially serious risk to the patient, their families and the public.
Tribunals are composed of three members; one legal member, one medical member and one specialist lay member. Tribunal hearings are usually held in private and most take place in hospitals. During the hearing, medical members are required to advise on and explain medical terminology and technicalities; to question the patient's doctor in relation to the patient's history, progress, treatment, prognosis and future care and to question other witnesses as agreed amongst the panel; and to participate fully in the decision making after the hearing has concluded, including contributing to the drafting of the decision.
Who can apply
To be eligible to apply candidates must have unconditional registration with the General Medical Council as a fully registered medical practitioner.
Candidates must also have held a full-time or part-time appointment as a consultant psychiatrist for at least three years, one of which should normally be within the last five years, and have membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists at any of the following levels:
- Member
- Fellow
- Specialist associate
Sign up for alerts to receive email notifications concerning the progress of the exercise up to launch.
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Applications open: 3 September, 2019 - 13:00
Closing date: 17 September, 2019 - 13:00
Number of vacancies: 30
Fee: Members serve the tribunal a voluntary capacity and do not receive a fee.
Location: Across England
Valuation Tribunal for England
The Valuation Tribunal for England (VTE) deals with disputes arising from council tax, non-domestic business rates and local taxation appeals.
The Tribunal sits in panels of 2 or 3 with one acting as the Chairperson. Panels are assisted by a clerk who provides administrative and technical support. The clerk will offer advice on the relevant law, practice and procedure and, once the panel has reached its decision, will draft the decision for the panel to approve. Chairs are required to participate fully in deliberations after the hearing and convey arguments clearly.
More information about the Valuation Tribunal for England can be found on their website.
About the role
VTE Chairs are local people from a wide cross-section of society who, like magistrates, are lay volunteers. Although no fees are payable, expenses can be reimbursed and, in appropriate cases, a limited financial loss allowance will be available subject to meeting criteria that will be available on appointment.
The main activities are to:
- chair panels and hold case management and preliminary hearings where appropriate
- contribute to the fair, efficient and effective conduct of hearings, take an active role in hearings, whether paper or oral, and demonstrate familiarity with the appeal papers
- ensure there is a structured discussion of the issues in each case taking account of other members(s) views, and give directions where appropriate, and at the conclusion of the case assist the clerk to record the reasons for the particular decision reached
- review the draft decision as prepared by the clerk to the panel within timescales.
- sit as a member of a panel of 2 or 3, or at times sit alone with the assistance of a clerk
- undertake and decide applications, with the assistance of a clerk, in relation to case management, such as postponements and adjournments, out of time applications and extension of time matters
- help to promote the most expeditious dispatch of business compatible in each case with the overriding objective of dealing with cases justly
- attend training day(s) and meetings of Members and Chairs of the tribunal, keeping up to date with procedures and practices
- You will be required to sit for a minimum of 15 days a year.
Sign up for alerts to receive email notifications concerning the progress of this exercise up to launch.
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Applications open: 12 September, 2019 - 13:00
Closing date: 26 September, 2019 - 13:00
Number of vacancies: 1
Fee: £110,335
Location: Southern Region, Havant
An excellent opportunity has arisen for Members and Fellows of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to join the judiciary, providing the necessary knowledge and expertise to help settle residential property disputes.
Experience in residential property management and/or residential property valuations is desirable.
About the role
As a Deputy Regional Valuer you will chair tribunals and hold case management and primary hearings where appropriate. The types of cases dealt with include:
- dispute about private sector rents
- disputes about residential leasehold management, including pay-ability of service charges
- valuation for enfranchisement and lease extension
- disputes about the right to buy where a property is considered to be particularly suitable for the elderly
- disputes about park homes
- appeals against local authority notices about the condition of a property and appeals against Houses in Multiple Occupation
You will be required to review decisions and statements of reasons with a view to maintaining and improving quality and consistency, bearing in mind developments in statutory and case law, practice directions and guidelines established with the Chamber President.
You will report to the regional judge and assist in the leadership and management of judges and other members by, among other things, advising on the judicial resource requirements of the region; determining the number and constitution of tribunals within the relevant statutory framework; and conducting appraisals.
Sign up for alerts to receive email notifications concerning the progress of this exercise up to launch.
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