Ayesha Siddiqi: Recorder
“I enjoyed working as a solicitor, but once I started working as a fee-paid judge, I realised I preferred the challenge and breadth of judicial work. The decisions that judges make on a daily basis have a huge impact on people’s lives, and I find the public service element of the role to be really rewarding.”
Background
I worked as a solicitor specialising in employment law in both private practice and local authorities. I had also worked as a visiting lecturer teaching EU law.
When I was about 7 years PQE, I realised that I would like to eventually become a judge and I decided to apply for a Tribunal role, although I didn’t think I would be appointed as I was still at an early stage in my legal career. Much to my surprise, I was appointed to the Social Security Tribunal. I found that I was enjoying my judicial work, so I applied to sit in other jurisdictions. I was assigned to sit in the Immigration Tribunal and the Mental Health Tribunal. In 2019, I was appointed as a Recorder in the Family Court and in 2022, I was also assigned to sit in the Crown Court.
The application
At first, I didn’t think I was ready to apply for the position of Recorder. Although I had 7 years of judicial experience, I hadn’t practiced family or criminal law and I didn’t have any advocacy experience. So, I didn’t think they appointed “people like me” to be a Recorder.
However, I was encouraged by colleagues to apply. I shadowed a circuit judge for the day, and I found it really helpful to observe and discuss their route to the bench and how they deal with their workloads. I also observed the camaraderie between circuit judges. I would encourage anyone who is interested in judicial appointment to apply to shadow a judge, as it may give you a different perspective on what the role entails.
I was a fee-paid Tribunal Judge when I applied to become a Recorder, and I discussed my examples for my application with a District Tribunal Judge. However, there is a great deal of support available for applicants who do not hold judicial appointments. Judicial Office and the JAC offer a number of programmes, such as the Pre-Application Judicial Education Programme and the Targeted Outreach Programme, and I now volunteer to support applicants on those programmes.
The application process can feel daunting, but there are a lot of online resources to assist with the application. You have to put in a great deal of work to prepare your application form. I would encourage applicants to start their application as early as possible. The process can be intense, and it can take up to a year to be appointed.
Some applicants with disabilities worry about asking for reasonable adjustments in the application process. My personal experience is that the JAC were supportive in making reasonable adjustments for my interview, and I have worked with a number of mentees with disabilities who have also found the JAC to be supportive during the application process.
If at first you don’t succeed, please don’t be put off from applying again. Many judges were not successful on their first application.
The role
It has been challenging to learn new areas of law. At first, there were quite a few late nights preparing for court the next day. The first 6 months of sittings felt very intense.
As I had not practised family or criminal law, I observed a circuit judge’s hearings for a week before I attended the induction training course. The induction training courses are excellent. They are aimed at all levels of experience. I was surprised by how many colleagues had no prior experience of practising family or criminal law when I attended induction training. After I had attended induction training, I had another week of observations, and my first week of sittings was supervised by a circuit judge.
Newly appointed judges are allocated mentors. I had a friendly mentor who supported me in the first few months when I was adjusting to working in the courts. However, most of my support has come from the judges who sit in the same court centres as me. I have found them really approachable.
I mainly sit in Preston Crown Court at the moment, as I needed an accessible courtroom due to a disability. I was worried about whether I would fit in as a solicitor who had never practised crime. However, I was made to feel very welcome by the judges and court staff. At Preston Crown Court, all Recorders are invited to join the Circuit Judges for morning coffee and lunch, which makes it easy to discuss any queries. I have been made to feel welcome in a number of different courts and tribunals across the North-West and there’s always someone available to chat to if you need support.
What has surprised me is how much I enjoy working as a Recorder. There is a wide variety of work and the work is interesting. It also surprised me how quickly I settled into the role. There was a transition period where I adjusted to sitting on longer hearings, but I received a great deal of support from colleagues during that period.
I enjoyed working as a solicitor, but once I started working as a fee-paid judge, I realised I preferred the challenge and breadth of judicial work. The decisions that judges make on a daily basis have a huge impact on people’s lives, and I find the public service element of the role to be really rewarding.
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