Have you ever criticized or commended a decision of a judge?  Did you ever say over drinks to your colleagues, "That decision made no sense whatsoever!  They completely missed [insert grievance]"?  Have you read a decision only to get at the end to think "Would I have decided it differently?" or "How on earth did they manage to keep awake during those submissions and summarize everything?"  Does a judge's ability to give ex tempore judgments fill you with awe and, equally, dread as you white knuckle it through that particular courtroom rollercoaster (::clench::)?   Chances are, if you are a warm blooded litigator, you have answered "Yes!" to all of those questions.
Time to dip those fuzzy little paws into life
as an IP judge

Yet, for all of our claims, criticism and commendations, so many of us solicitors do not entertain a career at the bench.  But, it is about time we start giving it more thought. We need more IP judges, especially as our current IP judges get promoted up the ranks and our IP court diary gets busier and busier in London.  A good way to dip your toe into the judicial waters is to become a judicial assistant.

As many know, the High Court and the IPEC host judicial assistance for upwards 3 months to sit on IP cases, with such spots usually going to the more junior members of the profession.  However, the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court also host judicial assistant (JA) programs.

The AmeriKat wants to flag the Court of Appeal JA scheme which recruits from around mid-March each year.  During the time with the Court of Appeal, JAs assist Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal by analyzing appeal papers, legal research on key issues and helping to manage the shape and nature of the appeals.

March may seem ages away, but it is only 6 months.  So over the next 6 months, the AmeriKat encourages readers - junior, mid and more senior - to consider a change.  Try something new. Something that you may just love and excel at and which gives you a new found perspective and respect for the work of those judges we spend our days peering up at in crowded courtrooms.

To find out more see here and here.