APPENDIX
LETTER FROM THE LORD CHANCELLOR TO HEADS
OF CHAMBERS
I had the opportunity, at the Minority Lawyers'
Conference in November 1997, to make plain my wish to see more
black and Asian practitioners elevated to Silk and appointed to
the judiciary. I made it clear that my policy is that appointments
are made on merit and merit alone, but that I am determined to
preside over an appointments process in which every lawyer has
an equal chance to show whether or not he or she has the qualities
necessary to take up a judicial appointment or achieve Silk. Of
course practitioners are not invited to apply: that could raise
an expectation of appointment which would be frustrated where
applicants did not succeed in what is a competition. Individuals
must decide themselves whether to apply.
Some practitioners may be reticent about putting
themselves forward for consideration. I did my best at the Minority
Lawyers' Conference to encourage applications from ethnic minority
practitioners, and I will take other opportunities as they present
themselves. I cannot, however, hope to reach all those who might
be suitable and I hope that I can enlist your support in the task
of achieving a greater proportion of applications from ethnic
minority lawyers.
As a Head of Chambers you are an important figure
in the lives of the members of your Chambers. They will look to
you for advice and guidance on the development of their careers.
You may, perhaps through your work in chambers or as a senior
member of the profession more generally, come into contact with
practitioners whom you believe would make suitable appointees.
Where this is the case I hope you will feel able to encourage
those who have not already done so to make an application. For
judicial appointment, the standard will vary in relation to the
appointment sought, but in general terms I am looking for legal
knowledge and experience, intellectual and analytical ability
and qualities such as sound judgement, integrity, fairness, authority,
decisiveness and humanity. For Silk, I seek great ability as an
advocate, maturity of judgement, a high quality practice, intellectual
ability and integrity. If there are practitioners you know well,
in particular those of ethnic minority origin, whom you consider
would be suitable, then please do what you can to encourage them
to put themselves forward.
Competition for judicial appointments and Silk
is fierce. There is no guarantee that every high-calibre candidate
will be appointed, but I am anxious that people from the widest
possible backgrounds apply to be considered.
If either you, or those whom you are minded
to encourage, would like more information about judicial appointments
or Silk, packages are available giving full details of the criteria
required; do please contact my officials in Judicial Appointments
Group, either by writing to Judicial Appointments Group, Lord
Chancellor's Department, Selborne House, Victoria Street, London
SW1E 6QW, or by telephoning Judith Lennard on 0171-210 8934.
I shall be grateful for any help you can give
in achieving greater ethnic minority representation on the Bench
and in Silk.
12 March 1998
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