helping you prepare for silk and judicial appointment.

Assistance with application forms

We work with you on the content of your application form, ensuring that your skills and experience are carefully matched against each of the individual competencies, with a clear emphasis on ‘Oral advocacy’, the key criterion for appointment. Particular attention is paid as to how you might best meet the required standard of 'excellence' in relation to behaviours and skills, which are less frequently demonstrated in your area of practice. Many clients encounter difficulty in understanding precisely what is required of them under Competencies C and D, ‘Working with Others’ and ‘Diversity’, and maximum assistance is provided in ensuring that the content of these particular sections of the application form are both pertinent and sufficiently comprehensive.

Careful consideration is given as to which of your cases are included, and how they might be prioritised, within your application, not only ensuring that the case selection criteria are met, but also that core skills, not least oral and written advocacy, are brought to the fore. We guide you in tactically selecting and editing your lists of assessors, with an emphasis on ‘nominated’ and judicial, in order to maximise the quality of evidence available to the Panel and to avoid your receiving a weak assessment. Assistance is provided on style and editing throughout the drafting process to produce an optimum final version.

Consultations run for approximately 2.5 hours. Consultants review your subsequent revisions in respect of each part of the application form to assist you in producing a final version. First time applicants may wish to have an additional consultation at the outset to assist them in determining how they might best approach the application form, whilst second or third time applicants benefit from a full review of previous applications and feedback from the Panel.

Ideally, the primary consultation is held face-to-face, with preparatory and follow-up assistance provided by way of email and telephone discussion. However, when circumstances do not allow for this, the session may take the form of a video conference, or an extended telephone conversation.

Evaluation of candidature

Potential candidates may be unsure as to whether they should apply for silk. To assist you in making this decision, we undertake a review of your candidature, determining the extent to which your recent cases meet the criteria set by the Panel (of substance, complexity, particular difficulty or sensitivity), and whether you have had sufficient opportunity to demonstrate the competencies to a standard of 'excellence'. Critically, we will examine whether you are likely to receive sufficient judicial support for your application. If, upon reflection, you decide not to pursue silk, we will provide advice on how your candidature might be bolstered for future competitions.

Interview preparation

We conduct a full review of your application form and an initial consultation to assist you in identifying and presenting to best effect examples of professional competencies, which are likely to be rated as 'excellent' by the selection panel. We talk through any issues or concerns you might have about the interview process, determining how any apparent shortcomings in meeting the criteria for appointment might successfully be addressed. Likely panel interview questions are practised, with an emphasis on ‘Diversity’, and your responses discussed and rated.

Initial one-to-one sessions run for approximately 2.5 hours and are tailor-made to meet your specific requirements, but typically include a full-scale mock interview. It is highly desirable that the session is held face-to-face to allow the consultant the best opportunity to observe and advise on your interview technique and behaviours, as well as evaluate the content of your responses. Having undertaken this session, you may wish to undertake a further session immediately prior to your interview. The aim of both sessions is to ensure that you will be both confident and comfortable when facing the interview panel, and able to answer whichever questions may be posed.

Review of unsuccessful applications

We understand that, in spite of receiving feedback from the Panel, it is often difficult to determine exactly why your application may not have been successful. We therefore conduct a full review to identify areas of weakness in your candidature, and to determine how these might be dealt with in any future applications. Particular attention is paid to identifying which of your assessors have provided poor assessments in respect of your application. We also explore how you might set about acquiring additional skills and experience which would strengthen your overall candidature for silk.

Preparation for future competitions

It is often the case that applicants consider for the first time how they meet the selection criteria, only when faced with the application form. We believe that one's candidature for silk should be considered a year or more beforehand so that requisite skills and experience might be pro-actively acquired in advance of your application. We, therefore, undertake a review of your candidature, determining the extent to which your recent cases meet the criteria set by the Panel (of substance, complexity, particular difficulty or sensitivity), and whether you have had an opportunity to demonstrate the designated competencies to a standard of 'excellence'. Specifically, we provide advice on how, with the assistance of your colleagues and clerks or firm, your candidature might be bolstered for future competitions.