Independent report: What deters lawyers from becoming judges?

Dr Sophie Turenne and Professor John Bell were commissioned by the Senior Salaries Review Body to independently investigate the factors affecting The Attractiveness of Judicial Appointments in the United Kingdom.

They interviewed over 60 practitioners of varying profiles and areas of expertise in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They found that the factors influencing the decision whether to apply for a judicial appointment are different from in the recent past. Their report has been published today.

Commenting on the report, Dr Turenne said:

"In the past, pension provision, public esteem and an opportunity to serve the community offered sufficient incentives to apply to the Bench. Today, these factors are less enticing and the Bench has to be made attractive in other ways.

Salary levels and, above all, pension provision remain significant influences on whether a lawyer applies to go onto the Bench. But increasingly a number of non-financial factors affect whether the role of a judge is perceived as attractive. Some examples include the importance that potential applicants, some with dependents, give to flexibility in working hours, and how far away from home they are required to work; and a further concern relates to the type and volume of caseload they would need to handle. Attracting able candidates today is likely to require a wide package of incentives."

Increasingly a number of non-financial factors affect whether the role of a judge is perceived as attractiveSophie Turenne

For information about other publications by Dr Turenne, please refer to her Faculty profile.