Peers recommend opening up senior judicial roles to CILEx lawyers

02 November 2017

The Constitution Select Committee of the House of Lords has today recommended that Chartered Legal Executives who demonstrate the requisite attributes should not be prevented from becoming senior judges.
 
This aligns with CILEx’s ongoing campaign to see the eligibility criteria for senior judicial roles modernised so that Chartered Legal Executives can have their applications considered.
 
President Millicent Grant FCILEx said; “I am grateful to the Constitution Select Committee for their consideration of the issue, and for recognising that Chartered Legal Executives are a diverse pool of lawyers who should not be excluded from such roles. CILEx is not asking for special treatment, or for something that is not already available to other lawyers. We are asking that experienced Chartered Legal Executives should be able to be considered for judicial posts above district judge level, with all applications considered on merit.”
 
Fellows of CILEx – three quarters of whom are women – are currently eligible to apply for judicial roles up to the level of District Judge, whilst lawyers from other professions are eligible to apply for roles at any level. In practice a Chartered Legal Executive already holding judicial office could apply for other judicial roles, though they are the only legal profession to whom different eligibility criteria apply.
 
CILEx recently launched its Judicial Development Programme, which provides aspiring Chartered Legal Executives with one-to-one mentoring from judges, and tailored support in preparing themselves for applying.
 
At the recent Graduation and Admission ceremony, CILEx members were encouraged to enter the ranks of the judiciary by, amongst others, the Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP.