Andrew Horrocks: Judge of the Social Security and Child Support First Tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber

Background

I grew up in South London, went to the local grammar school, and was the first person in my family ever to go to university.  I qualified as a solicitor in the late 1980s and have spent most of my career in commercial dispute resolution.

After joining a West End firm as one of only two trainees, I did all kinds of litigation including legal aid cases and employment.  I then moved to a City firm, where I was a partner handling commercial disputes including professional liability, insurance, and IT related cases.

For the last ten years, I have worked as a consultant solicitor to a captive insurer, several law firms and a variety of other businesses. Throughout my career, I have always done Citizens Advice and pro bono work and dealt with a wide variety of people and legal issues alongside my ‘day job’.

It had never occurred to me to apply to be a judge until a fellow City firm partner told me about his work sitting part time as a Recorder. I now know that there were efforts to get solicitors to apply but the campaign had not reached me. My colleague told me it was challenging but enjoyable work which he did part time as well as his private practice.

The application

The idea of being a judge when already busy with other work still seemed daunting, as did the prospect of working in a jurisdiction and area of law of which I had little experience.   I applied in my 50s once I had left the City and was working more flexibly, but in retrospect should have had the confidence to apply earlier than I did. There is an obvious contrast between big commercial litigation and the benefit appeals I now hear but I do think it possible to deploy the same analytical and people skills, admittedly in different ways.

I was appointed about five years ago now.  Many people apply more than once before they are successful and for me it was at my second attempt. Since being appointed, I have been sitting several days a month as well as continuing my other consultancy work. I did not specifically choose to do benefit appeals but I have enjoyed the work. The hearings are mostly in person in the tribunal building, although the parties are sometimes remote. The working day can be stressful and the timings hard to manage but it becomes easier with experience and is all part of the job.

The role

A big advantage of the role for me is that I know in advance the days when I am going to be sitting and can plan other work accordingly. There is advance preparation to do, which involves a lot of reading (included in the daily pay rate) but I find it’s usually possible to spread this out as the documents are sent electronically a couple of weeks ahead. There is not usually much follow-up work to do after hearings but written reasons have to be provided if a party requests them.

I sit on a panel with either one or two colleagues (medical and disability qualified tribunal members) supported by a clerk. I enjoy the collaboration and respect which joint decision making involves. Hearings in the social security tribunal are inquisitorial and most appellants are not represented, so you have to be prepared to ask yourself if there is more to the situation than first meets the eye.

There is no standard template for a tribunal judge’s style, and you are encouraged in the intensive induction training to be yourself. I personally try to avoid too much formality and to explain what decisions will mean in practice while still applying the relevant law.  There are online knowhow resources and training days, and the support of full-time judges is available.

Other judges

Find out more about the wide range of people working in legal roles.

View case studies