Judicial Outreach Mentoring Scheme

Please note

The scheme opened on 10 March 2025 and is now closed. It will open again for a new cohort in due course. Any announcement will appear here, so do please keep checking back for any new information, or announcements.

Am I eligible?

The scheme is open to barristers, solicitors, Fellows of the Chartered Legal Executives and professionally qualified legal academics who are either:

  • Lawyers from an ethnic minority background
  • Lawyers who attended a (non-fee paying) state school
  • Lawyers who were the first generation in their family to attend university.

Applicants must have a minimum of 5 years post qualification experience and be seeking an appointment in the next two years (or at the next available opportunity).

What can I get out of the scheme?

As part of our new approach, we will aim to provide comprehensive support to participants, such as networking opportunities and regular check-ins throughout the 6-month duration of the scheme.  Due to a shortage of judges in certain geographical locations, we will now offer the option for the mentoring to be conducted face to face, online, or a combination of both. 

The purpose of this scheme will be to provide a safe environment for lawyers to:

  • Share issues inhibiting their application to judicial office (e.g. concerns of work/life balance, self-confidence, self-perception) and receive confidential advice, support and guidance from a mentor judge
  • Learn from someone with greater understanding of the judiciary
  • Establish what skills and experiences are needed to support their application to judicial office
  • Identify areas where further development and experience is required and consider how these may be acquired
  • Decide whether or not taking up judicial office is an option they want to pursue

Who would mentor me?

The scheme is being supported by salaried judges from the Courts and Tribunals who have volunteered their time to act as judicial mentors.

How do I apply?

 You can click here to submit your Mentoring application form.

Please contact the Judicial Outreach Mentoring Scheme if you incur any problems with the application form: judicialoutreachmentoringscheme@judiciary.uk.

Once we have received your application, the Judicial Office will identify a mentor who matches your requirements as close as we possibly can.  Please note that it won’t always be possible to meet all your preferences. The aim will be to match you to a mentor who currently holds, or who has held, the judicial role of interest and who is based within reasonable travelling distance. Previous participants of the scheme appreciated the varied experience that judges bring, which is why we think you will benefit from being mentored by any judge regardless of their current role. This also means that applicants won’t have to wait too long to be matched up.

Once a suitable match has been identified, you will be provided with the mentor’s contact details so that you can make the initial approach.

In the event that the Judicial Office is unable to identify a suitable mentor at the time of your application, you will be notified and invited to apply when the scheme opens again.

Opening and Closing Events

We will hold an opening event to which all applicants, who have been successfully matched to a mentor will be invited.  At this event you will have the opportunity to hear from guest speakers, including experienced mentors and mentees who have previously taken part in the scheme.  You will also find out more about the support we will provide to you throughout your participation on the scheme.

At the end of the scheme (6 months) you will be invited to a face-to-face event to celebrate your participation on the scheme.  You will be notified of the time, location and date in due course.

How can I find out more?

If you have any further questions about how the scheme operates, please email Judicial Outreach Mentoring Scheme

Related content

  • Judicial Outreach Mentoring Scheme – Videos

    There are a number of videos on this page, which will give the viewers a better understanding of the relationship that exists between a mentor and a mentee. The Judicial Outreach Mentoring scheme helps build confidence for newly appointed judges. Judge Head-Rapson  & Judge Hammond  discuss how they first became involved in the Judicial Outreach […]