Judicial Appointment: Evidence, Interviews and Working as a Judge – a seminar for CILEX members
Practical guidance drawn from judicial experience
CILEX members are warmly invited to join this focused online seminar exploring how to prepare for judicial appointment, with insight from judges drawn from their own lived experience.
The Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy seeks to motivate talented legal professionals from diverse personal and professional backgrounds to consider a judicial career, and to feel confident that they will thrive within the judiciary. In that context, this seminar is particularly relevant to those from under‑represented backgrounds, but all CILEX members are welcome.
The emphasis of this session will be on realistic, constructive guidance for those who may be interested in a judicial role in the future, or who are already beginning to engage with the application and interview process. Speakers will draw on their own experience rather than theory.
You will hear from members of the judiciary speaking on three key themes:
- Turning experience into an example – how to identify, shape and present your professional experience effectively in applications and interviews
- Practical tips for interviews and roleplay – what candidates often find challenging, and how to prepare with confidence
- A day in the life of a Tribunal Judge – what the role involves in practice, including sitting days and early experiences after appointment
The Panel
HHJ Lester-Ashworth is a Circuit Judge appointed to sit at Minshull Street Crown Court (Manchester). She has been a judicial office holder since 2011 (then age 31) when she was appointed as a part-time Tribunal Judge alongside her full-time legal job in the Civil Service. She is married with three young boys. Having benefitted from a state grammar school education, a full university grant and a Bar Scholarship she is passionate about social mobility and supporting others to pursue their dreams irrespective of their background. Her secondary role is as a Diversity and Community Relations Judge.
Tribunal Judge Johnson qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of ‘Legal Executives in 1998. Her background was in private practice as a personal injury lawyer. She was the first female Cilex member to join the judiciary when she was appointed as a fee-paid (part time) Judge of the First-tier Tribunal, assigned to the Social Entitlement Chamber in 2019. She was the first female CILEX judge when she was appointed as a full-time salaried District Tribunal Judge in early 2021. Since joining the judiciary she has been a keen advocate for the role that Cilex Lawyers can play in in creating diversity in the judiciary. With this in mind, she was appointed as a Diversity and Community Relations Judge (DCRJ).
Tribunal Judge Dawson
There will be an opportunity to ask questions during the session, including anonymously.
This seminar is being delivered by the Judicial Office in partnership with CILEX and is open exclusively to CILEX members.
Further joining details will be circulated to those who register.