CILEX launch Judicial Academy in a bid to improve diversity at the bench

10 December 2024

CILEX (the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) has launched a Judicial Academy to help bolster the number of CILEX lawyers, solicitors and barristers applying to become judges, with a goal of helping up to 500 legal professionals prepare for a judicial career over the next five years.

The academy was officially launched this evening (5 December 2024) at the Supreme Court, London, by Lady Chief Justice, Dame Sue Carr, who welcomed the first cohort of students by saying, “I am delighted to be here tonight to launch the CILEX Judicial Academy. This is a great initiative that will contribute to increasing the pool of eligible talent for judicial appointment.

“I would like to congratulate all those who have contributed to this extensive programme. I am encouraged by the content that includes mentoring, professional development, confidence building as well as advocacy skills. Candidates promise to be well equipped should they proceed to judicial application, and I look forward to welcoming this flourishing talent to the judicial family.

“I would encourage all young legal professionals to consider a future judicial career.”

The CILEX Judicial Academy provides a comprehensive, structured approach to gaining the experience and skills needed to prepare for judicial appointment. Designed to fit around applicants’ current professional commitments the programme bridges the gap between practise as a lawyer and the personal and professional attributes needed to transition into a judicial role.

The bespoke programme will provide those with ambition to pursue a career as a judge or magistrate with access to career coaching and mentoring from as early as five years before they begin the application process. Traditionally, applicants will not seek support until they begin the official application process.

To successfully prepare applicants, the programme is structured around four key pillars which explore mindset, networking, personal development, and advocacy. It will include one-on-one sessions with a career coach, access to a judge mentor, exposure to the range and requirements of different judicial positions and opportunities to access exclusive networking events, while also supporting candidates to strengthen their leadership experience through pro-bono work and non-executive and trustee opportunities.

The 18-to-24-month programme feeds into existing Pre-Application Judicial Education Programme which provides support once candidates are ready to make an application. Working closely with the Judicial Office and Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), CILEX aims to create a pool of at least 500 applicants from a broad range of backgrounds, with the competencies and experience needed to make a successful application within the next five years. The first cohort will be welcomed in January 2025.

In a bid to also tackle the vast diversity gap at the bench, a particular emphasis will be placed on providing priority places to those from socially, economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds or communities that are currently underrepresented within the judiciary.

Rebecca Morgan, a CILEX Advocate at Admiral Law and one of the first to join the Judicial Academy, said: “I have witnessed the judiciary system diversify but there is still work to be done. The justice system must reflect the society it serves, and I believe this programme is one step closer to ensuring that.

“We are faced with several hurdles to navigate before reaching the application stage, and although there are many sources of information and schemes to help along the way, this programme streamlines the support into one singular place and offers fantastic networking opportunities.”

CILEX President, Yanthe Richardson, said: “CILEX lawyers consistently demonstrate they have the commitment to excellence in the legal profession but sadly we are all acutely aware that the opportunity to progress within the law is not equal.

“In the UK alone, 87 percent of all judges and non-legal tribunal members are white (MoJ, April 2024) and we know firsthand that those from a nontraditional background often suffer from a lack of confidence, battle imposter syndrome and do not have the opportunities to network and make connections needed to prepare for this role.

“We want to change that and we believe that this bespoke development programme will allow those who are often overlooked with the opportunity to demonstrate why they will be an asset to the profession and, crucially, begin the application process with confidence. There are 18 CILEX judges and we look forward to seeing more alumni follow in their footsteps.”

The annual enrolment process requires applicants to complete an expression of interest and personal details form to determine eligibility. Applicants must be a CILEX lawyer, solicitor or barrister with at least five years PQE.

More information about the academy and how to apply can be found at CILEX Judicial Academy page.

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ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Kerry Jack, Black Letter Communications on 07525 756 599 or email at [email protected]

Notes to editors:

CILEX (The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) is one of the three main professional bodies covering the legal profession in England and Wales. The approximately 18,000 -strong membership is made up of CILEX Lawyers, Chartered Legal Executives, paralegals and other legal professionals.

CILEX pioneered the non-university route into law and recently launched the CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ), a new approach to on-the-job training that marries legal knowledge with the practical skills, behaviours and commercial awareness needed by lawyers in the 2020s.

The CPQ is a progressive qualification framework that creates a workforce of specialist legal professionals, providing a career ladder from Paralegal through to Advanced Paralegal and ultimately full qualification as a CILEX Lawyer. CILEX Lawyers can become partners in law firms, coroners, judges or advocates in open court.

CILEX members come from more diverse backgrounds than other parts of the legal profession:

77% of its lawyers are women
16% are from ethnic minority backgrounds
- 8% are Asian or Asian British
- 5% are Black or Black British
- 3% are from a mixed ethnic background
85% attended state schools
33% are the first generation in their family to attend university
Only 3% of its members have a parent who is a lawyer.
85% attended state schools
33% are the first generation in their family to attend university
Only 3% of its members have a parent who is a lawyer.

CILEX members are regulated through an independent body, CILEx Regulation. It is the only regulator covering paralegals.