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Lawyers slam "farcical" judge application process
17 March 2017

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Lawyers trying to become recorders say they have been subjected to a "farcical" selection process plagued with computer glitches.

In February, over 2,500 lawyers applied for one of one hundred part-time judging roles. Unfortunately the Judicial Appointment Committee's website collapsed under the demand. In a boon for the chancers, slackers and no-hopers amongst the applicants, the JAC's response was to wave through all the applicants to the next round, instead of slicing off 40% as planned.

Round 3 isn't looking great either

Round two, which took place this week, was another monumental cock-up. Candidates were supposed to be sent an email at an allotted time attaching a scenario and questions which they had 70 minutes to complete. However, some candidates received their email between 20 and 45 minutes early. A proportion dived in straight away and therefore enjoyed extra time. Others waited for their scheduled start time, only to discover that the clock had begun ticking when, said one, "HAL at the JAC" prematurely sent the email. Others received the email late, and had to rush to complete the exercise before their time slot ended.

It then transpired that the test scenario had been published on the JAC website in February as a mock paper. In a press release the JAC said the "material was removed immediately and it was quickly established that it had only been accessed by a small number of users". So that's alright then. A source said the process has been a "debacle". The news section of the JAC's website now contains no fewer than four separate apologies.

RollOnFriday asked the JAC if its IT nightmare was in fact a cunning plan to filter out all but the most honest and persistent applicants, like an online version of Gideon sifting out the soldiers who drank straight from the river like dogs. A spokeswoman said, "the JAC has published a statement on its website and has no further comment at this stage". Which isn't a no.

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anonymous user 17/03/2017 09:50 Rate it 1 Report as offensive RoF quoting a story from Judges in a story about judges. Blimey. Talk about casting your pearls before swine (says Matthew).
anonymous user 17/03/2017 20:16 Rate it 1 Report as offensive Yes I can confirm that all of the above is true. I understand that it was mainly barristers who received the papers early and so the JAC "Joke Arsehole Commission" continues in its anti-solicitor bias. The tests are becoming increasingly archane and difficult to complete and this omnishambles is nothing compared to the kafkaesque assessment days and process generally. What other employer would ask for references before the interview for positions that don't exist in parts of the country many miles from a person's place of abode and put you on a "limbo" list for 2 years if you do get through? What's more, they apply their equality equal merit test at the very end so that you can get all the way through, write your career suicide letter and then get knocked off the list for being a straight male.
anonymous user 19/03/2017 21:35 Rate it 0 Report as offensive Wot Anon said about process obj written for barristers by barristers The timing of the references is a joke As if I'd give a referee without talking to them first...oh no hang on if I do that they'll know I'm considering another job ( even if PT) Sad now that I didn't apply this time round, it feels ironic that, out of such shambles, an unconventional choice might actually have a better shot

anonymous user
17/03/2017 09:50

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RoF quoting a story from Judges in a story about judges. Blimey.
Talk about casting your pearls before swine (says Matthew).

anonymous user
17/03/2017 20:16

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Report as offensive

Yes I can confirm that all of the above is true. I understand that it was mainly barristers who received the papers early and so the JAC "Joke Arsehole Commission" continues in its anti-solicitor bias. The tests are becoming increasingly archane and difficult to complete and this omnishambles is nothing compared to the kafkaesque assessment days and process generally. What other employer would ask for references before the interview for positions that don't exist in parts of the country many miles from a person's place of abode and put you on a "limbo" list for 2 years if you do get through? What's more, they apply their equality equal merit test at the very end so that you can get all the way through, write your career suicide letter and then get knocked off the list for being a straight male.

anonymous user
19/03/2017 21:35

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Wot Anon said about process obj written for barristers by barristers

The timing of the references is a joke

As if I'd give a referee without talking to them first...oh no hang on if I do that they'll know I'm considering another job ( even if PT)

Sad now that I didn't apply this time round, it feels ironic that, out of such shambles, an unconventional choice might actually have a better shot

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