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"It gave me a fantastic insight into the role of a District Judge and confidence that it was something that I wanted to and could endeavour to do."

Judicial Work Shadowing Scheme

Eligibility for the scheme

Qualification requirements

For most shadowing opportunities the scheme is open to any eligible qualified legal practitioner with a minimum of two years’ post qualification legal experience who is interested in seeking judicial appointment, either now or in the future.

Shadowing in the High Court will be limited to legal practitioners who have held at least five years’ post qualification legal experience.

Unfortunately students are not eligible for this scheme although there may be other schemes open to them. Students may be able to arrange some shadowing through their local court, university or Inn of Court.   

Nationality requirements

Applicants must be citizens of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland or a Commonwealth country and be a member of one of the relevant professional bodies in England and Wales (or in Scotland or Northern Ireland in the case of shadowing in a Tribunals Service hearing centre located in Scotland or Northern Ireland). Holders of dual nationality which includes one of these may apply. 
The Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission administers a separate Judicial Shadowing Scheme. For more information please visit the following link: https://www.nijac.org/JudicialShadowing/.  

Membership and disciplinary checks

The Judicial Work Shadowing Scheme is supported by all participating professional bodies: the Bar Council, Law Society, Institute of Legal Executives, Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys and Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys.
Please note that Judicial Office will contact an applicant’s professional body to carry out membership and disciplinary checks. These checks will form part of the Judicial Office’s selection process for the Judicial Work Shadowing Scheme.
We cannot offer work shadowing placements to practitioners who have conditions on their authority to practice or who have been suspended from practice following a finding against them within the last 3 years.

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Statutory eligibility for appointment

Barristers and Solicitors are eligible for appointment as:

    • High Court Judge
    • Recorder
    • Deputy District Judge
    • Deputy District Judges of the Principal Registry of the Family Division
    • Deputy District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) or as a
    • Tribunal Judge.

Under the provisions of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007, Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives will become eligible for appointment as:

  • Deputy District Judge, both in the County Courts and Magistrates’ Courts and as
  • fee-paid Legal Member of certain tribunals:

    • Road User Charging Adjudicator,
    • Panel Chairman of Competition Appeal Tribunal,
    • Legally qualified member of Asylum and Immigration Tribunal,
    • Panel Chairman of Employment Tribunals,
    • Parking and Traffic Adjudicators and
    • Judges of the first-tier Tribunal

They will be eligible to shadow a judge in any of these jurisdictions

Patent Attorneys and Trade Mark Attorneys are eligible for appointment

  • in the Copyright Tribunal or
  • as an Appointed Person to hear and determine an appeal at the Trade Marks Registry Tribunal

and will be eligible to shadow these judicial office holders.

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Shadowing specialist work

You can shadow a Family judge at thePrincipal Registry of the Family Division, or aDistrict Judge in another area who also hears family work. Please choose District Judge on your application and specify family work in the appropriate box.

You also have the opportunity to shadow a judge in the Court of Protection. Please indicate this on your application in the box asking for preferences of the type of work you would like to see.

Opportunities to shadow a Costs Judge also exist for applicants with at least four years’ post qualification legal experience. Please indicate this on your form.

Depending on the judge and their itinerary, you can shadow a High Court Judge in London or, if it is more convenient, there may be the possibility of accompanying the judge on circuit.  

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Deciding which type of judge to shadow

When choosing the type of judge to shadow, we recommend that you think about the type of judicial appointment for which you are most likely to apply or the type of work that interests you most.

Please note that we are not able to arrange shadowing for more than one type of judge in the same application. When completing the application form please choose ONE type of judge only, as choosing more than one type of judge will delay the application process.

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Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours

The various professional bodies each award a different number of CPD hours for work shadowing. The Law Society currently awards 12 CPD hours and the Bar Council offers 2 hours. ILEX offers up to 16 hours if the participant is in the same area of expertise as the judge, otherwise it awards 8 hours. CIPA and ITMA offer 6 hours per day shadowed.

In order to claim CPD points after shadowing a judge please return the completed notification form (which will be sent with the letter acknowledging receipt of your application form) to the Judicial Office and claim your CPD points directly from your professional body.