\n \n
A seminar from the Judicial Office in partnership wi th the Black Solicitors Network
\n \n\n \n
Soli citors and legal professionals are warmly invited to join this online seminar designed to support th ose considering a future judicial career.
\n \ nThe session will focus on lived experience of routes into the judiciary\, alongside pracitcal i nformation about the support available to help you prepare for judicial appointment.
\n \nThe Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy aims to encourage talented legal professionals from a wid e range of personal and professional backgrounds t o consider a judicial career\, and to feel confide nt that they will thrive within the judiciary. In that context\, this seminar may be of particular i nterest to Black legal professionals\, although al l are welcome to attend.
\n \nThe emphasis of this session will be on the support systems ava ilable to those who are exploring a future judicia l role\, as well as those who are already beginnin g to engage with the application and interview pro cess.
\n \nThere will be an opportunity to ask questions\, and we hope to address as many as possible towards the end of the seminar.
\n \n\n \n
This ses sion will be introduced by Placida Ojinnaka\, Blac k Solicitors Network\, Director.
\n \nHHJ B
alogun was appointed a Criminal Circuit Judge in O
ctober 2023. She was admitted to the roll of solic
itors in 1992 and was appointed a Chairman of the
Employment Tribunal in 2003\, a salaried Employmen
t Judge in 2009\, and a Recorder in 2022.
\n
Judge Balogun is a member of the Diversity Committ
ee of the Judges’ Council and is Lead for its Race
Working Group.
District Tribu nal Judge Kishma Bolaji
\n \nDistr
ict Tribunal Judge Bolaji was admitted to the roll
of solicitors in 2009. She was appointed as a fee
-paid Judge of the First-tier Tribunal in 2025 and
\, in 2026\, was appointed to a salaried judicial
role in the Social Entitlement Chamber.
\n Al
ongside her judicial work\, Judge Bolaji has exten
sive experience as a clinical negligence solicitor
and is a co-founder of Birmingham Black Lawyers\,
a network supporting diversity and progression wi
thin the legal profession.
\n
\n \n
\n \n
From the Judic ial Appointments Commission
\n \nSa rah Lee\, JAC Targeted Outreach Scheme \n \n
\n \n
\n \nSarah qualified as a solicitor after studying law at the University of Birmingham. She was a partne r at Slaughter and May from 1999 to 2020\, where s he was Head of the Dispute and Investigations Grou p and held a number of leadership roles\, includin g on the Partnership Board and as the firm’s first partner responsible for diversity and inclusion. She was a Lay Commissioner of the Judicial Appoint ments Commission from 2018 to 2024 and continues t o support its Targeted Outreach Programme. Sarah i s currently Vice Chair of the Independent Press St andards Organisation and holds a number of non-exe cutive and trustee roles\, including at the Univer sity of Birmingham\, Rare Recruitment and the Crip plegate Foundation
\n \n\n \n
DESCRIPTION: \n \n \n \n A seminar from the Judicial Office in partnership with the Black Solicitors Network\n \ n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Solicitors and legal profe ssionals are warmly invited to join this online se minar designed to support those considering a futu re judicial career. \n \n \n \n The session will f ocus on lived experience of routes into the judici ary\, alongside pracitcal information about the su pport available to help you prepare for judicial a ppointment.\n \n \n \n The Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy aims to encourage talented lega l professionals from a wide range of personal and professional backgrounds to consider a judicial ca reer\, and to feel confident that they will thrive within the judiciary. In that context\, this semi nar may be of particular interest to Black legal p rofessionals\, although all are welcome to attend. \n \n \n \n The emphasis of this session will be o n the support systems available to those who are e xploring a future judicial role\, as well as those who are already beginning to engage with the appl ication and interview process.\n \n \n \n There wi ll be an opportunity to ask questions\, and we hop e to address as many as possible towards the end o f the seminar.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Panel \ n \n \n This session will be introduced by Placida Ojinnaka\, Black Solicitors Network\, Director.\n \n \n \n HHJ Adenike Balogun \n \n \n \n HHJ Balo gun was appointed a Criminal Circuit Judge in Octo ber 2023. She was admitted to the roll of solicito rs in 1992 and was appointed a Chairman of the Emp loyment Tribunal in 2003\, a salaried Employment J udge in 2009\, and a Recorder in 2022.\n \n Judge Balogun is a member of the Diversity Committee of the Judges’ Council and is Lead for its Race Worki ng Group.\n \n \n \n District Tribunal Judge Kishm a Bolaji\n \n \n \n District Tribunal Judge Bolaji was admitted to the roll of solicitors in 2009. S he was appointed as a fee-paid Judge of the First- tier Tribunal in 2025 and\, in 2026\, was appointe d to a salaried judicial role in the Social Entitl ement Chamber.\n \n Alongside her judicial work\, Judge Bolaji has extensive experience as a clinica l negligence solicitor and is a co-founder of Birm ingham Black Lawyers\, a network supporting divers ity and progression within the legal profession.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n From the Judicial Appointments Commission\n \n \n \n S arah Lee\, JAC Targeted Outreach Scheme \n \n \n \ n \n a {\n text-decoration: none\;\n color : #464feb\;\n }\n tr th\, tr td {\n border: 1p x solid #e6e6e6\;\n }\n tr th {\n background-c olor: #f5f5f5\;\n }\n \n \n \n \n \n Sarah qualifi ed as a solicitor after studying law at the Univer sity of Birmingham. She was a partner at Slaughter and May from 1999 to 2020\, where she was Head of the Dispute and Investigations Group and held a n umber of leadership roles\, including on the Partn ership Board and as the firm’s first partner respo nsible for diversity and inclusion. She was a Lay Commissioner of the Judicial Appointments Commissi on from 2018 to 2024 and continues to support its Targeted Outreach Programme. Sarah is currently Vi ce Chair of the Independent Press Standards Organi sation and holds a number of non-executive and tru stee roles\, including at the University of Birmin gham\, Rare Recruitment and the Cripplegate Founda tion\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n CATEGORIES:Diversity Event CALSCALE:GREGORIAN DTSTAMP;TZID=Europe/London:20260630T170000 DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260630T170000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260630T180000 LOCATION:Online Via MS Teams\n United Kingdom\n URL:https://www.judicialcareers.judiciary.uk/civicrm/event/info/?reset=1&id=214 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT UID:CiviCRM_EventID_215_7aa7c719a9fc24cc4c1ee7c3e1356ef7@www.judicialcareers.judiciary.uk SUMMARY:Health\, Education and Social Care Chamber\; Resid ent Judges Pre-Application Seminar 2026 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:
The Judici al Appointments Commission (JAC) will be launc hing a selection exercise in August to appoint eig ht Resident Judges to the Health\, Education and S ocial Care Chamber (HESC). \;
\n \n<
strong>The seminar
\n The Judicial Office is organising a pre-application seminar that wi
ll take place online via Microsoft Teams on Tuesda
y 21 July (5-6pm).
The seminar aims to
help applicants be better prepared to make an app
lication and to receive up-to-date guidance and ad
vice on the JAC&rsquo\;s selection process. As wel
l as the JAC\, you will also hear from the Preside
nt of the HESC Chamber on his plans for the Chambe
r and a serving leadership judge on what the role
entails on a day-to-day basis.
\n \;
\n Who should attend?
\n Judicial office holders and practitioners fr
om all backgrounds\, including solicitors and Char
tered Legal Executives\, who have five years&rsquo
\; legal post qualification experience\, are welco
me to attend. \;
Candidates are ex pected to have at least 30 sitting days (at the po int of application) as a judge or in a quasi-judic ial capacity.
\n \nFor more information on the Health\, Education and Social Care Chamber ple ase visit Health\, Edu cation and Social Care Chamber - Courts and Tribun als Judiciary \;
\n \n
\n <
strong>Further information
\n Ch
eck out the JAC future vacanci
es page.
\n For any queries regarding the
recruitment campaign/selection exercise please co
ntact the JAC selection exercise team RJFtTHESC351@judicialappointments.gov.uk \;
\n For any queries regarding the pre-app
lication seminar please email JudicialHROutre
achEvents@judiciary.uk \;