If shorlisted, candidates are invited to a selection day, which may consist of a panel interview or an interview with another assessment tool. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the qualities and abilities required.

You will be advised of the following by mail in advance:

the date and time;
the location;
the format of your selection day; and the 
Selection Panel members.

Arriving at the venue The Candidate Services Team (CST) will meet you and will look after during your visit. 

Expenses

Unfortunately we are unable to reimburse travel or any other expenses relating to your attendance. We are prepared to make exceptions to this rule to help people with a disability. We will consider other applications for assistance in limited exceptional circumstances.

Interview

Interview panels consist of three to five panel members including a chair, judicial member and an independent member.  You will be advised of who will be sitting on your panel prior to the selection day.

The interview will be structured to allow the panel to obtain examples from you to show that you possess the qualities and abilities required. Interview questions will be tailored to your experience. The panel may refer to the examples you gave on your application form, so when preparing you should remind yourself what you said. The panel will also have your references available to them at the interview stage.

The selection panel is not trying to trying to catch you out. They understand that interviewing may be a nerve-racking experience, and they will do their best to put you at ease.

The interview may also contain either:

• Situational Questioning

Situational questioning this focuses on what a candidate would do in a specific situation.  This technique involves questions that describe a hypothetical situation based on challenging, real-life, job-related occurrences and asks the candidate how they would handle the problem.  Situational questioning will normally be used instead of a role play.

• Presentation

Where the judicial post requires leadership and management skills, the interview may also include a presentation.  Candidates will be asked to provide a presentation around a topic.  This topic will be outlined to candidates in advance of the selection day.

Role play

A role play simulates a court or tribunal environment. Candidates are asked to take on the role of a judicial office-holder and respond to a situation.

These exercises assess how you deal with the situations you may face, and decisions you will be asked to make if you were to be appointed. It provides the opportunity to demonstrate how well you meet the required qualities and abilities, and whether you can maintain that performance under challenge and pressure.

Role play is normally used for exercises in which a large proportion of  candidates are likely to be entering the judiciary for the first time. It can be an important source of information, demonstrating to the panel how you might cope in post. 

A film of an example role-play appears at the bottom of this page. 

Panel report

Panel members assess all the information about each candidate (application form, references, role play if applicable and interview) and agree which candidate(s) best meets the required qualities. The panel chair then completes a report providing an overall panel assessment. This forms part of the information presented to the Commission. It is the Commission that decides which candidates to recommend to the Lord Chancellor for appointment.

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A film of an example role-play appears at the bottom of this page. A version with audio commentary is also included below that. The supporting documents can be downloaded on the right of this screen.