Report comment

It's a bit more complicated than saying the JAC is biased. The fundamental problem is that the bar is very good at puffing up fellow barristers, and solicitors are not. This partly follows from the structures - the senior partner of a medium sized firm of solicitors will not want to lose an outstandingly able litigation partner.

To be entirely cynical, a head of chambers, may think that if he/she does everything possible to help someone up the ladder, then this creates a vacancy for a family member and favours that will be reciprocated later on.

The bar has a tradition of bestowing fulsome praise on its members which enhances otherwise plodding CVs. When a lot of very similar candidates are compared, a High Court judge writing that "Smithers was outstanding when I was sitting in the Court of Appeal" will tend to stand out. It may well be that it was nothing more than a sentencing issue over whether someone should get 18 months or 2 years, and could have been argued with equal cogency by any experienced solicitor.

When all the applicants are pretty good, then it is those with a little bit more oomph behind them who make the cut.

A glowing reference from your father's best friend trumps a lukewarm reference from a senior partner any day.