HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Directorate: RCJ - Operations

Job Title: Clerk to HM Judges (1 post available)

Locations: Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL

Duration: Permanent Contract

Pay Span or equivalent: EO

About HMCTS:

HM Courts and Tribunals Service is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. We work with an independent judiciary to provide a fair, efficient and effective justice system.

For more information about HMCTS and what we do, visit: https://www.hmctsjobs.co.uk/.

Overview:

The role is to provide first line support to a Lord or Lady Justice of Appeal or High Court Judge by ensuring best use of the judge's time, to enable them to concentrate on the delivery of justice. Using your organisational skills, you will efficiently manage all aspects of your judge’s day; this involves administrative duties which may include typing documents including judgments or orders and diary management. You will also likely be required to liaise with internal and external stakeholders including legal representatives, members of the public and other members of the judiciary.

The appointment to some Judges may require extensive travelling with overnight stays during the week for a considerable number of weeks at a time. This circuit work entails staying with the judge(s) and other clerks in judicial accommodation, returning home at weekends.

This is a unique role within the justice system. If you are organised, adaptable and you care about ensuring the delivery of justice then working as a Judges’ Clerk can be incredibly rewarding. Full training will be given in the role.

Key Responsibilities:

Administration

Keep an up-to-date diary of your Judge’s court sittings/visits/meetings, maintenance of his/her robes and library, co-ordinating visits and assisting visitors plus other office functions.

Domestic duties as required by the judge; e.g. tea/coffee preparation, lunch collection, washing up, dry cleaning and other ad hoc duties as agreed. Transportation of large court bundles around the building; trolleys are provided but some lifting will be required. When judges go on circuit, clerks are responsible for transporting books, bundles, files, computers, robes and other judicial requirements as well as their own, and judge’s, personal belongings.

Communication

You will be responsible for the smooth running of the judge’s court commitments whether in London or on circuit. This will involve communicating by telephone, email and correspondence to ensure the resolution of many and varied queries and requests. On a regular basis you’ll be liaising with:

• Judges and senior figures

• Litigants and members of the public

• Jurors

• Court and Tribunal users

• Representatives of other agencies and organisations

You will be representing your assigned judge at an operational level. Using your organisational skills, you will be expected to efficiently manage all aspects of your judge’s day. You will be required to make decisions regarding changing priorities as they occur, without reference to the judge, and work on your own initiative. In many instances you will be the first point of contact between your judge and others. The need for confidentiality, tact, courtesy and diplomacy is therefore paramount.

This short video will give you an insight to the role from some clerks currently in post - Clerk to HM Judges

Working Arrangements:

Hours

Your actual working pattern is agreed with the judge and your line manager. Judge’s Clerks are not normally required to work more hours each week than the standard working week (37 hours) but there is an expectation that a clerk will work longer hours if a situation arises. Due to the travelling involved and the variety of court duties performed, this role is not suitable for part-time working, job sharing or frequent working from home.

Location

The position is London based and therefore you should live within a reasonable daily commute of London. However, due to the nature of the role you could be required to travel within England and Wales. When in London, you will be based within the Royal Courts of Justice or other buildings within the immediate area.

Circuit work

Any judge may undertake circuit work anywhere in England and Wales up to 3 times annually for periods of around 2-6 weeks (or more depending on the case). On circuit you will stay at judges’ lodgings or hotels on weekdays (at no cost to you) and liaise with the housekeeper and lodging’s manager on domestic matters that may include arrangement of dinner parties and visits.

You will be expected to continue managing the judge’s other commitments while on circuit.

Annual leave

Annual leave may only be taken in accordance with the Judges Clerks’ supplemental working T&Cs. The minimum entitlement is 25 days rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service.

Security Level:

Counter-Terrorism Check (CTC)

To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment and residence history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why. 

For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism Check (CTC), Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (the level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:

• You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government

• You were studying abroad

• You were living overseas with parents

In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account and a local police check carried out.

Skilled Worker Visa

From 4 April 2024, the Government increased the salary threshold for Skilled Worker visas. The starting salary for this role falls below the general salary threshold for sponsorship.  

The Department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously since before 4 April 2024, you qualify for relevant tradeable points, or you meet other criteria where a lower salary can be considered. Therefore, if you believe you meet the eligibility criteria (in whatever way possible) and you have received a provisional job offer, please raise this during your vetting checks.  

If you are applying for this role and you do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom. 

The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here. 

Essential Skills and Criteria:

• Accurate typing speed of a minimum of 35 wpm, this is tested at the assessment day and will be tested in 3 parts, average speed will be calculated for part 1 & 2 below:

• Speed test when copying from typed text and making corrections

• Speed test when copying from Manuscript and making corrections

• Drafting emails on behalf of Judges, in response to the correspondence received

• Previous experience of using IT Microsoft Office applications.

• A high standard of spoken and written English. You need to be able to understand and assimilate information from various sources and accurately summarise it in a clear and concise written format, tested before proceeding to interview.

Desirable Skills Include:

• A full driving licence

Application Process:

To apply for this position please complete the online application form, ensuring you provide the following:

• An up-to-date copy of your CV which details your experience and achievements

• A 250-word suitability statement against the key responsibilities above

• A 250-word statement against each of the following Success Profile Behaviours (Level 2):

• Communicating & Influencing

• Making Effective Decisions

• Delivering at Pace

If successful at sift stage, candidates will be invited to attend an assessment day which consists of two parts - a practical assessment (which comprises of word processing and drafting skills) and a panel interview.  Candidates must pass both parts of the assessment day to be offered a position.

If selected for interview, the Success Profile Behaviours listed above will also be tested / assessed (Level 2).

Interviews will also test two Strengths.

Applicants progressing to interview will be invited to an assessment day which will involve two stages (in no particular order):

• A practical assessment (as outlined in Essential Skills and Criteria above)

• Face to face interview based on the Success Profile Behaviours listed above, Strength questions and discussion of IT skills

Candidates must pass both parts of the assessment day to be offered a position. Candidates will either have their interview first before taking their practical assessment or will take their practical assessment before being interviewed. This will be confirmed at their assessment day.

Further information on Success Profile Behaviours and Strengths, as well as the required standards for this post (Level 2), can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident. Disability Confident is the approach through which we offer guaranteed interviews for all people with disabilities meeting the minimum criteria for the advertised role as set out in the job description.

Additional General Information: 

Working Arrangements & Further Information

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made which is always subject to the Judges’ Clerks’ supplemental working T&Cs.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. It should be noted that this office has limited flexibility in terms of working patterns and subject to business needs and must be approved both by the judge involved and the Line Manager (LM)/Senior Judges’ Clerks’ Manager (SJCM)

HMCTS offers a range of Benefits:

Annual Leave

Generous allowances for paid holiday starting at 25 days per year and rising as your service increases. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts is calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

HMCTS is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Reward & Recognition Scheme

Potential to secure individual / team awards for exceptional performance

Employee Discount Scheme

Provides discounts and offers for many high street and bespoke retailers

Support

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.

• Access to flexible benefits such as salary sacrifice arrangements for childcare vouchers and voluntary benefits such as retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.

• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.

• Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Eligibility

Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.