LAY MEMBERS FOR THE KING’S COUNSEL SELECTION PANEL
The Law Society and the Bar Council are seeking to recruit two lay members (one for an immediate start and one to start in January 2026) for the Selection Panel which recommends advocates for appointment as King’s Counsel (KC). The KC rank identifies excellence in advocacy in the higher courts. It is the most significant award available to an advocate, whether solicitor or barrister.
The Selection Panel contains eleven members – two senior barristers, two senior solicitors, two retired senior judges, and five lay members. Legal and lay members play an equal part in all the work of the Panel, but the Chair is always drawn from amongst the lay members. It is essential that all the members should be of very high calibre: the Panel has significant responsibilities for making decisions with a real impact on the practice of law at the highest level.
Subject to the principle of appointment on merit, the professional bodies regard it as important that the composition of the Selection Panel should itself be diverse. Of the members who will serve on the Panel in 2025, six are women and four are men; four of the members are from a minority ethnic background.
Panel members must be available for a minimum of 32 days a year, mostly between mid-June and early November. Appointments will initially be for a two-year period, which may be extended to a maximum of five years. Meetings will be held in London. Remuneration is currently at a daily rate of £840 to reflect the important and demanding nature of the work.
As a lay member you must be able to demonstrate an ability to sift through complex evidence from multiple sources and reach incisive judgements. To command public confidence and respect, you must display a proven commitment to equality of opportunity and diversity. You will have well-developed interviewing skills and have held a senior position of authority; and must not be a member of the legal profession. Lay magistrates are eligible to apply.
Applications from all sections of the community are welcomed.
The closing date for applications is 11:59pm, 11 May 2025.
To apply, please send a cover letter addressing the person specification, your CV, and the Application Form to applications@kcappointments.org