Visit UKSCJudicial Assistant Recruitment
Every year, the Court invites applications for up to 11 judicial assistants to support the work of the Justices of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC).
Applications are invited in January each year with contracts starting in September usually until the end of July.
Why apply to be a Judicial Assistant?
The Judicial Assistant role is intended to provide junior lawyers with a unique opportunity to work at close quarters in support of the Justices. It enables junior lawyers to see the Supreme Court and the JCPC in operation from the inside.
The Supreme Court and JCPC hear many of the most important cases of the day. The appeals are very varied and generally raise an arguable point of law of general importance, so the work is both interesting and impactful.
The Judicial Assistants have the opportunity to get to know the Justices and to see their decision-making in action. By reading the parties' written submissions and watching the appeal hearings, the Judicial Assistants are also able to learn from some of the UK's best advocates.
Working as a Judicial Assistant is regarded highly by law firms, chambers and other employers - our Judicial Assistants typically go on to have successful careers at the Bar, top law firms, academia, the Government Legal Department and in policy.
What do Judicial Assistants do?
Each Judicial Assistant is assigned to one or more Justices. They work very closely with their assigned Justice(s) and support them by:
- Conducting legal research on appeals and applications for permission to appeal.
- Drafting bench memos summarising applications for permission to appeal.
- Attending appeal hearings and discussing them with the Justices.
- Drafting plain English press summaries of judgments for publication on the Court's website.
- Responding to requests for information from international judicial and comparative law networks.
- Generally assisting the Justices in their work, including with extra-judicial speeches, articles and other publications.
Judicial Assistants also get involved in the wider work of the Court. For example, they may be asked to assist the Registrar with regards to applications for permission to appeal and appeals. All Judicial Assistants get involved with the Court's educational and outreach activity, such as student mooting competitions and debate days.
Who is eligible to be a Judicial Assistant?
Judicial Assistants come from a wide range of backgrounds and bring diverse expertise to the role.
As a minimum, candidates will have graduated with an excellent degree (2:1 or better) and must have completed at least two years of legal studies and have advanced experience in legal research. Qualification as a lawyer in one of the UK jurisdictions is valued although not essential. As well as high intellectual ability a Judicial Assistant must demonstrate incisiveness and an ability to work well under pressure. Online research and written skills are also essential.
Competition for the Judicial Assistant role is high. We look for exceptional candidates and select them based on the eligibility criteria in the Person Specification. Due to the demands of the role, we anticipate that the majority of JAs will be qualified lawyers who have completed a pupillage, training contract or equivalent qualifying work experience by 1 October 2024. However, candidates may also apply if they will have completed a postgraduate degree in law, such as an LLM or PhD, by this date.
All applicants must meet the essential criteria for the role. Please check the Person Specification carefully to ensure you meet these criteria before applying.
Candidates must have the right to work in the UK in place when applying. We are unable to sponsor applications to work in the UK.
How can I apply?
Applications are now currently closed.
Where can I find out more?
If you have any further questions, please contact us.