Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal (Civil Division) (Ref: 14920)

Job summary

Please refer to Job Description

Job description

Job Title: Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Location: Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL

Duration: Fixed term contract for a period of 10 months commencing in September or October 2026

Pay Span or equivalent: HEO

Background:

HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of the criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales and non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It provides a fair, efficient and effective justice system delivered by an independent judiciary. HMCTS aims to ensure that all citizens receive timely access to justice according to their different needs, whether as victims or witnesses of crime, defendants accused of crime, consumers in debt, children at risk of harm, businesses involved in commercial disputes or as individuals asserting their employment rights or challenging the decisions of government bodies.

The Court of Appeal Civil Division hears appeals across all civil jurisdictions. In the majority of cases it is the final court of appeal.

The post of judicial assistant is intended to provide entrants to the legal profession with a unique opportunity to work at close quarters with judicial members of the court, to view the appeals process and to appreciate appellate advocacy at close quarters. Candidates should note that a judicial assistant works full time. It is not possible to conduct professional practice or to devote significant time to external study while working as a judicial assistant.

Role Purpose:

Judicial assistants in the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal are assigned to one or two justices of appeal. They assist in the preparation of cases for hearing before a constitution of the full court by analysis of the appeal papers, legal research and the drafting of summaries for the assistance of each member of the constitution of the court. They also prepare case papers and summaries for submission to a single justice for consideration of applications for permission to appeal. From time to time they are requested to assist with research into specific subjects of interest in the law or the administration of justice.

It is not essential that candidates should have a specific area of expertise but the team will be selected so as to provide cover for the range of work handled by the civil division of the Court of Appeal including general common law, public law and human rights, commercial law, chancery and tax law, employment law, family law and some criminal law. Candidates must be willing to undertake work in areas of law in which they have no previous experience.

Main Activities / Responsibilities:

The job holder will be required to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

• To prepare case summaries for permission to appeal applications and bench memoranda for full appeals as requested by their supervising Lord or Lady Justice.
• To complete case summaries and bench memoranda for other members of the court who do not have an assigned judicial assistant.
• To complete legal research into specific subjects of interest in the law or administration of justice as requested by the supervising Lord or Lady Justice or any other justice of appeal.
• Occasionally to assist in the preparation of a speech to be given by their assigned judge or any other justice of appeal.

Other Duties:

The post holder will be required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by their assigned judge or line manager which are commensurate with the level or responsibility of this post.

Experience:

Experience of practical legal research

Technical skills / qualifications:

A 2:1 undergraduate degree in law or better; or

A 2:1 undergraduate degree in any other subject or better and a postgraduate law qualification

Please note that you are expected to hold this/these qualification(s) at the time that you apply for the post. Predicted degree grades will not be accepted.

Interview Process:

If selected for interview, you will be assessed on behaviour and strength questions. You will also be required to complete a test of legal technical skills, which includes a written test and an analysis of a case. You will be informed which case to read in preparation for the interview.

Please note, face to face interviews will be required for candidates progressed from sift stage

Location:

This post is based in the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL. Travel to other court sites may be required.

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 this role you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC requirements you will need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years prior to the date of application.

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 studying abroad
• 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 you may need to provide a local police certificate.

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 here.

Further Information:

These operational roles requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. Due to the nature of role and the variety of court duties performed, this role is not suitable for part-time working, job sharing or frequent working from home.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Qualifications

A 2:1 undergraduate degree in law or better; or

A 2:1 undergraduate degree in any other subject or better and a postgraduate law qualification

Please note that you are expected to hold this/these qualification(s) at the time that you apply for the post. Predicted degree grades will not be accepted.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• A test of legal technical skills, including a written test and an analysis of a case.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £40,014, HM Courts and Tribunals Service contributes £11,592 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Access to learning and development
• A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/14920?entityId=14920