"There is no substitute for sitting with a judge when trying to assess if Judicial Office would be of interest."
Judicial Work Shadowing Scheme
The Judicial Work Shadowing Scheme gives eligible legal practitioners who are considering a career in judicial office, either now or at some time in the future, an insight into judicial life. The scheme is administered centrally by the Directorate of Judicial Offices for England and Wales.
Eligible legal practitioners can spend up to three days observing the work (both in and out of court), of the following judges:
- High Court Judge
- Circuit Judge
- District Judge (sitting in civil or family jurisdictions)
- District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts)
- Tribunal Judge
Participants in the scheme can shadow a judicial office holder for a period of between one to three days. The shadowing does not have to take place on consecutive days, but must be completed within six months of acknowledgement of the application. Participants are encouraged to shadow for a minimum block of two days, although this will also depend on the availability of the judicial office holder being shadowed.
For all but the High Court, placements are arranged locally by courts and tribunals staff in liaison with the participating judges and court managers. High Court placements are arranged by Judicial Office. Unfortunately, we cannot reimburse costs and participants need to make their own arrangements for accommodation and travel.
Shadowing can cover any aspect of a judge’s work, both in court and out of court. All participants sign a declaration to confirm they have a genuine interest in judicial appointment, and accepting that they are prohibited from disclosing any facts or information about the cases after the shadowing is completed.