International Engagement
International Engagement
The judiciary engages with other jurisdictions around the world through bilateral activity and as part of multilateral organisations. This can be through welcoming visiting judges and providing programmes of activity, engaging in roundtables on technical subjects, attending conferences on matters of mutual interest, and the provision of training on specific topics or judicial skills.
The judiciary aims to approach its engagement with other judiciaries in a way that is sustainable and strategic, working in appropriate partnership and following the direction for international activity as agreed by the Judicial Executive Board. Activity is centred on our principal aim to strengthen the Rule of Law globally, maintaining and promoting the strong worldwide reputation of our judiciary and courts and working to maintain and build networks that help encourage the importance of a robust and fair justice system and the independence of the judiciary.
International Training
The Judicial College is the body responsible for the training of judicial office holders in England and Wales and some tribunals around the UK. The Judicial College is committed to providing world class judicial training in the UK and abroad. It participates in various domestic and overseas networks and responds to requests to provide assistance for programmes organised by European, Commonwealth and international judicial training institutions.
The College participates in exchange programmes run by the European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) which enables judges from Europe to experience the work and training of the UK judges and vice versa. In addition, requests for attendance by other overseas judiciary at our seminars are considered on an individual basis.
Leadership judges
There are several judges with key leadership responsibilities for international work:
Sir Julian Flaux, the Chancellor of the High Court, reports on international issues to the Judicial Executive Board to ensure the Board is well-sighted and able to contribute to strategic decisions.
Lord Justice Dingemans is the Lead Judge for International Relations, overseeing international work on a day-to-day basis, and can be considered the first point of contact, through the Judicial Office, for judges from other jurisdictions.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb is the Chair of the International Training Committee who along with HHJ Martin Picton, the Director of International Training, oversees the provision of International Training by judges and the Judicial College.
Contact with these judges should be made through the International Team of the Judicial Office.