Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission

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What is NIJAC

• Established in June 2005 under the Justice
  Northern Ireland Acts 2002 and 2004 as an
  independent public body
• to bring about a new system for the appointment
  to judicial office
• recommends candidates for appointment therefore
  removing this function from government

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Vision

• Selecting the best candidates and promoting
  diversity
• Values
• Appointment on merit Independence
• Reflectiveness
• Fairness
• Transparency
• Accountability

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Membership

• 13 members
• Chairman Lord Chief Justice, Sir Brian Kerr
• 5 judicial office holders
• 1 barrister
• 1 solicitor
• 5 lay members

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Appointments

• Statutory duty under the Justice Northern Ireland
  Acts 2002 and 2004
• conduct the appointments process
• make recommendations to the Lord Chancellor in
  respect of all listed judicial offices
• recommend candidates solely on the basis of merit

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Eligibility

• years standing
• nationality
• health
• character

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Why competence based selection?

• competences are a combination of relevant skills,
  knowledge and behaviour
• by identifying the competences, and the level
  required for a role, we can set the standard and
  measure against it
• helps guard against bias towards characteristics
  such as gender, ethnicity or disability

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Application

• candidate information pack
• application form
• first opportunity to demonstrate competences
• timing
• consultees
• nominated
• automatic

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Competence based selection

• Competences criteria for judicial office
• Category A - knowledge and experience
• Category B - skills and abilities
• Category C - personal qualities

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Assessment

• threshold already set prior to shortlisting on a
  scheme by scheme basis
• shortlisting stage
• each of the 3 category areas reflect the
  competence and criteria areas assessed
• knowledge and experience, skills and abilities,
  and personal qualities
• consultee comments and application form assessed
• interview stage
• performance at interview, consultee comments and
  application form assessed
• best demonstrated merit

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Consultees comments

• key element of the selection process
• important to do the candidate justice
• speak to the candidates work give particular
  relevant examples where possible
• are confidential, subject to a court order
• it is okay to refuse an approach

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Post selection

• pre-employment checks
• feedback
• complaints
• Ombudsman - www.nijao.gov.uk

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Programmes of Action

• To engage in programmes of action to secure, so
  far as it is reasonably practicable to do so
  that
• appointments to listed judicial offices are such
  that those holding such offices are reflective of
  the community in Northern Ireland.
• a range of persons reflective of the community is
  available for consideration

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Promoting diversity

• Key Objectives
• to promote interest in judicial service
• to raise awareness and communicate helpful
  information and advice
• to encourage applications for a judicial career
• to identify and eliminate factors that may
  discourage applications
• to improve understanding of the selection
  process
• to consult and communicate with interested
  parties
• to conduct programmes of research and carry out
  evaluation and analysis
• to publish diversity information in the Annual
  Report

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Promoting diversity Current Priorities

• Equity Monitoring
• existing judicial office holders
• scheme applicants
• potential applicant pool
• Research Project
• areas of under-representation and participation
• postal survey
• interviews and focus groups
• report

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Promoting diversity Current Priorities

• Identifying and eliminating barriers
• scheme evaluation and analysis
• benchmarking
• desk-based research
• Outreach and engagement
• programme of consultation
• communications strategy
• information and advice

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Research and consultationCurrent Initiatives

• Interviews and focus groups to build on initial
  research conducted by NISRA into barriers to a
  judicial career
• Appointment Policies and Procedures consultation
  exercise
• Closing date 15th January 2008
• www.nijac.org