Leading firms sign up to encourage solicitors to apply for judiciary
Some of the UK's leading law firms have pledged to encourage their lawyers to apply for judicial appointments, as part of a campaign by the Law Society to increase the number of solicitors appointed as judges. Twenty firms have committed to the campaign, including 11 of the UK's 20 largest firms by revenue, including Allen & Overy, Ashurst, Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith, Hogan Lovells, Linklaters and Addleshaw Goddard.
July 29, 2012 at 07:36 PM
2 minute read
Some of the UK's leading law firms have pledged to encourage their lawyers to apply for judicial appointments, as part of a campaign by the Law Society to increase the number of solicitors appointed as judges.
Twenty firms have committed to the campaign, including 11 of the UK's 20 largest firms by revenue, including Allen & Overy, Ashurst, Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith, Hogan Lovells, Linklaters and Addleshaw Goddard.
The Law Society's initiative, which is supported by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, is targeting solicitors in large corporate law firms in an attempt to persuade more to apply for Queen's Counsel and judicial positions.
The law firms signing up to the scheme were announced last Thursday (26 July) after the Law Society campaign officially launched in May.
Hogan Lovells head of litigation, arbitration and employment Patrick Sherrington (pictured) said: "The reason solicitors, even the highest earning solicitors, have not sought judicial office is not simply because of the money, it is because the application process has historically been slanted in favour of barristers.
"It is also harder for solicitors to take time away from their practice for sitting part-time when they are operating in partnerships rather than as sole practitioners; so it is a complicated equation. However, if there is truly a will to achieve greater diversity amongst the judiciary I think solicitors will respond positively and this is something we should encourage."
The move addresses a longstanding issue, with leading City partners from firms including Linklaters and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer previously submitting proposals in 2010 on how solicitors should get more involved.
Full list of firms signing up:
- Addleshaw Goddard
- Allen & Overy
- Ashurst
- Berrymans Lace Mawer
- Bird & Bird
- Charles Russell
- Clifford Chance
- Clyde & Co
- Eversheds
- Farrer & Co
- Field Fisher Waterhouse
- Herbert Smith
- Hogan Lovells
- Lewis Silkin
- Linklaters
- Russell-Cooke
- Stephenson Harwood
- Simmons & Simmons
- Trowers & Hamlins
- Weightmans
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