Judicial applications: support pathways for candidates

This page outlines the formal support available to eligible people interested in applying to join the judiciary.

There are four key schemes that support journeys into the judiciary, depending on individual readiness to apply and previous application experience.

Applicants to all schemes are expected to have prepared independently for the judicial application process, ahead of applying for formal support.

Strong applications will demonstrate a range of preparatory activities including:

Sitting and shadowing courts and tribunals of interest.
Speaking to people within the relevant jurisdictions.
Gathering evidence of competencies/ skills and abilities.
Attending outreach events.
Arranging mentors/ identifying areas of development.

Some schemes, such as the Targeted Outreach programme, require candidates to have completed at least one of the other support schemes available prior to applying.

Please refer to the admissions criteria column for more detail on mandatory eligibility for specific schemes. Applicants who do not meet the mandatory criteria will not qualify for support.

The schemes in a nutshell

Stage	Scheme	Support format	Admission criteria	Frequency
Pre or early application For people seeking their first judicial role.	Pre-Application Judicial Education (PAJE)	Judge-led discussion group courses consisting of four workshops, aimed at becoming prepared to consider applying for a judicial role.	5 years PQE Lawyers with disabilities.lawyers from an ethnic minority background.women lawyerssolicitors and chartered legal executives (both with litigation and non-litigation experience) and those from a non-litigation background including academics and unregistered barristers.	Three cohorts per year, check the webpage for launch dates.
Ready to apply for first or new role For people looking to find out more about specific jurisdictions.	Judicial Work Shadowing Scheme (JWSS)	Shadowing a judge to support application for specific roles. Provides insight into the work of a judge.	7 years PQE In addition to lawyers specified above: Registered Patent and Trademark Attorneys.	Rolling admissions.
Ready to apply for first or new role For people seeking one-to-one advice from a judge to support their judicial career.	Judicial Mentoring Scheme (JMS)	Dedicated mentoring from a judge, aimed at supporting applications for specific judicial roles, or promotion into higher judicial roles.	7 years PQE Lawyers from an ethnic minority background.Lawyers who attended a (non-fee paying) state school.Lawyers who were the first generation in their family to attend university.	Rolling admissions. Note that demand outweighs supply, and the scheme is currently paused.
Experienced applicants For those who have completed at least one application for judicial appointment. Candidates must have completed at least one of these schemes before applying.	Targeted Outreach Programme	Support with all stages of the application process, via bespoke resources and if appropriate, consultation with a former JAC Commissioner.	5-7 years+ PQE All ethnic minority lawyers. All women lawyers. All lawyers with disabilities. All non-traditional legal backgrounds.	Rolling admissions. Applications are sifted monthly.