Clerk to HM Judges (Ref: 6272)

This position is based at CTS Royal Courts of Justice, WC2A 2LL.

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.

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

Behaviours:

We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Alongside your salary of £32,416, HM Courts and Tribunals Service contributes £9,390 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Access to learning and development, a working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance, a working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity, a Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%, annual leave, public holidays, season ticket advance.

Selection process details: This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check and meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check.

This job is broadly open to UK nationals, nationals of the Republic of Ireland, nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK, nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.