The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) has so far failed to improve solicitors' chances of appointment to senior judicial roles, a leading City solicitor and recorder has claimed.


Linklaters partner Alexandra Marks, chairwoman of the Law Society's law reform board, told MPs on the constitutional affairs select committee last week that one year since the JAC's creation, solicitors were yet to break through to senior ranks.



She said: 'The Law Society greatly welcomed the creation of JAC as an opportunity to sweep away the old procedures but, particularly with the long-held view that solicitors are at a disadvantage, it has been something of a missed opportunity.'



While progress has been made in solicitor appointments to relatively junior district and deputy district judge levels, Ms Marks said there had been no progress at recorder level, which is traditionally 'the stepping-stone to senior judicial appointment.'

She also voiced concerns about procedures used to vet applicants, telling MPs she had heard of cases where references were taken from people other than those listed on application forms and before initial short-listing.



Ms Marks acknowledged, however, that progress had been delayed because the JAC had inherited competitions that were already under way.



Geoffrey Vos QC, chairman of the Bar Council, said one year was a short time and that he 'would not be as critical as the Law Society. I hope the JAC will improve, but I think it is going broadly in the right direction'.



Sarah Tyerman, director of strategy at the JAC, said it could not implement new systems immediately because of the existing exercises, and stressed they had not yet run a recorder competition. New processes, such as information on which referees will be approached when, would mean candidates were fully aware of how competitions will be handled.



The JAC has invited interested parties to respond to its just-published equality of opportunity consultation paper within the next four months. A final version of its policy should be available in January 2008.



Anita Rice