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White male working-class solicitor here,with recent experience of the DDJ and first-tier tribunal process. They were the longest and most stressful experiences of my career.

The process takes roughly a year. The forms take hours to get right. I did the online exams whilst on paternity leave. I used holidays to attend the assessment days/interviews in London. I have probably sacrificed progression within my firm to do just those things.

My experience of the assessment days is that they are very much geared towards people who are in Court regularly, and who deal with LiPs regularly. Most of the time that means barristers. I am a litigator, but spend relatively little time in Court, so I felt at a serious disadvantage compared to a jobbing barrister who might do "a bit of everything" and is in Court most days. Could they run a Courtroom better than me for, say, the first six months of a the job? Probably yes? Would I be a better long-term bet than someone like that? I would wager so.

The selection process at present is geared in such a way that people run businesses advising lawyers on what to say and how to say it to have a chance of selection. If that is where we are, then the process needs root and branch reform.

And beyond that, for the High Court positions which have been famously difficult to fill in recent years, having read the job description I doubt many solicitors feel brave or confident enough to apply, but there are damn good solicitors out there who would suit that job perfectly. They don't all work in the City.

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