Directorate: RCJ - Operations
Job Title: Clerk to HM Judges (5 posts available)
Locations: Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL
Duration: Permanent Contract
Pay Span or equivalent: EO
About HMCTS:
HM Courts and Tribunals Service is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. We work with an independent judiciary to provide a fair, efficient and effective justice system.
For more information about HMCTS and what we do, visit: https://www.hmctsjobs.co.uk/.
Overview:
The role is to provide first line support to a Lord or Lady Justice of Appeal or High Court Judge by ensuring best use of the judge's time, to enable them to concentrate on the delivery of justice. Using your organisational skills, you will efficiently manage all aspects of your judge’s day; this involves administrative duties which may include typing documents including judgments or orders and diary management. You will also likely be required to liaise with internal and external stakeholders including legal representatives, members of the public and other members of the judiciary.
The appointment to some Judges may require extensive travelling with overnight stays during the week for a considerable number of weeks at a time. This circuit work entails staying with the judge(s) and other clerks in judicial accommodation, returning home at weekends.
This is a unique role within the justice system. If you are organised, adaptable and you care about ensuring the delivery of justice then working as a Judges’ Clerk can be incredibly rewarding. Full training will be given in the role.
Key Responsibilities:
Administration
Keep an up-to-date diary of your Judge’s court sittings/visits/meetings, maintenance of his/her robes and library, co-ordinating visits and assisting visitors plus other office functions.
Domestic duties as required by the judge; e.g. tea/coffee preparation, lunch collection, washing up, dry cleaning and other ad hoc duties as agreed. Transportation of large court bundles around the building; trolleys are provided but some lifting will be required. When judges go on circuit, clerks are responsible for transporting books, bundles, files, computers, robes and other judicial requirements as well as their own, and judge’s, personal belongings.
Communication
You will be responsible for the smooth running of the judge’s court commitments whether in London or on circuit. This will involve communicating by telephone, email and correspondence to ensure the resolution of many and varied queries and requests. On a regular basis you’ll be liaising with:
- Judges and senior figures
- Litigants and members of the public
- Representatives of other agencies and organisations
You will be representing your assigned judge at an operational level. Using your organisational skills, you will be expected to efficiently manage all aspects of your judge’s day. You will be required to make decisions regarding changing priorities as they occur, without reference to the judge, and work on your own initiative. In many instances you will be the first point of contact between your judge and others. The need for confidentiality, tact, courtesy and diplomacy is tfore paramount.
This short video will give you an insight to the role from some clerks currently in post – Clerk to HM Judges
Working Arrangements:
Hours
Your actual working pattern is agreed with the judge and your line manager. Judges Clerks are not normally required to work more hours each week than the standard working week (37 hours) but t is an expectation that a clerk will work longer hours if a situation arises. Due to the travelling involved and the variety of court duties performed, this role is not suitable for part-time working, job sharing or frequent working from home.
Location
The position is London based and tfore you should live within a reasonable daily commute of London. However, due to the nature of the role you could be required to travel within England and Wales. When in London, you will be based within the Royal Courts of Justice or other buildings within the immediate area.
Circuit work
Any judge may undertake circuit work anyw in England and Wales, on average 3 times in each legal year, for periods of around 2-6 weeks (or more depending on the case). On circuit you will stay at judges’ lodgings or hotels on weekdays (at no cost to you) and liaise with the housekeeper and lodgings manager on domestic matters that may include arrangement of dinner parties and visits.
You will be expected to continue managing the judge’s other commitments while on circuit.
Annual leave
Annual leave may only be taken in accordance with the Judges Clerks’ supplemental working T&Cs. The minimum entitlement is 25 days rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service.
Security Level:
Counter-Terrorism Check (CTC)
To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment and residence history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.
For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism Check (CTC), Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (the level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:
- You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
- You were living overseas with parents
In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account and a local police check carried out.
Skilled Worker Visa
This role is not eligible for new Skilled Worker visas in accordance with the current immigration rules.
From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place.
If you are applying for this role and you have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes, you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.
The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria .
Essential Skills and Criteria:
- Accurate typing speed of a minimum of 35 wpm, this is tested at the assessment day and will be tested in 3 parts, average speed will be calculated for part 1 & 2 below:
o Speed test when copying from typed text and making corrections
o Speed test when copying from Manuscript and making corrections
o Drafting emails on behalf of Judges, in response to the correspondence received
- Previous experience of using IT Microsoft Office applications.
- A high standard of spoken and written English. You need to be able to understand and assimilate information from various sources and accurately summarise it in a clear and concise written format, tested before proceeding to interview.
Due to the nature of the assessment day, all assessments and interviews are completed in person and neither element can be conducted remotely.
Desirable Skills Include:
Application Process:
To apply for this position please complete the online application form, ensuring you provide the following:
- An up-to-date copy of your CV which details your experience and achievements
- A 250-word statement against each of the following Success Profile Behaviours (Level 2):
- Communicating & Influencing
-
Making Effective Decisions
-
Delivering at Pace
If successful at sift stage, candidates will be invited to attend an assessment day which consists of two parts – a practical assessment (which comprises of word processing and drafting skills) and a panel interview. Candidates must pass both parts of the assessment day to be offered a position.
Due to the nature of the assessment day, all assessments and interviews are completed in person and neither element can be conducted remotely.
If selected for interview, the Success Profile Behaviours listed above will also be tested / assessed (Level 2).
Interviews will also test two Strengths.
Applicants progressing to interview will be invited to an assessment day which will involve two stages (in no particular order):
- A practical assessment (as outlined in Essential Skills and Criteria above)
- Face to face interview based on the Success Profile Behaviours listed above, Strength questions and discussion of IT skills
Candidates must pass both parts of the assessment day to be offered a position. Candidates will either have their interview first before taking their practical assessment or will take their practical assessment before being interviewed. This will be confirmed at their assessment day.
Further information on Success Profile Behaviours and Strengths, as well as the required standards for this post (Level 2), can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles
If we receive applications from more suitable candidates than we have vacancies for at this time, we may hold suitable applicants on a reserve list for 12 months, and future vacancies requiring the same skills and experience could be offered to candidates on the reserve list without a new competition.
Additional General Information:
Working Arrangements & Further Information
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made which is always subject to the Judges’ Clerks’ supplemental working T&Cs.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices. It should be noted that this office has limited flexibility in terms of working patterns and subject to business needs and must be approved both by the judge involved and the Line Manager (LM)/Senior Judges’ Clerks’ Manager (SJCM)
