Solicitors closer to bench

JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS: the Lord Chancellor gives assessment centres the go-ahead

Solicitors could find the path to becoming a judge easier under government plans to establish assessment centres for those seeking judicial appointment.

The Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine's confirmation that 'work would commence shortly on a pilot scheme for an assessment centre', followed representations from a joint Bar Council and Law Society working party earlier this year.

The group's proposals, if accepted, would see short-listed candidates participating in two days of extended tests, interviews and group observation centres.

According to the joint working party, although this would only form part of the selection process, it would 'enable the weight' given to secret soundings with judges and others to be 'substantially reduced'.

Other key proposals accepted by the Lord Chancellor's Department either in principle or for further consideration, would see wider advertisement of judicial appointments, more objective aptitude testing and an easier route from other judicial roles, for example, from tribunals to higher courts.

A proposal to fast-track solicitors through the appointments system was rejected.

Eileen Pembridge, chairwoman of the Law Society's equal opportunities committee, said a fast-track is vital for solicitors who are suffering 'partnership blight'.

The long-time delay in securing an appointment, sometimes for a number of years, leaves solicitors 'in limbo' with their partnership colleagues, who then see them as not fully committed, she explained.

She added that there are also plans to introduce interviews for applicants who are 'invisible' under existing appointments system.

She said the current system is 'wholly discriminatory' to solicitors, women and minority solicitors who tend to lack the high profile of barristers.

Meanwhile, last week, the Law Society's ruling Council voted to remain outside the judicial soundings process despite being told by Vice-President David McIntosh that it was doing solicitors' prospects more harm than good.

'Solicitors are not likely to make as much progress if we stand outside the process.

I think a boycott is, in fact, discriminating against solicitors,' he warned.In a heated debate, Ms Pembridge said: 'If we go back into the process when we have got him [Lord Irvine] on the ropes, and when they know they are wrong, it would be absolutely disastrous.'

Sue Allen