Online seminar aims to help prospective applicants prepare for eight HESC Resident Judge vacancies
The Judicial Office has announced an online pre-application seminar for legal professionals and judicial office holders interested in becoming Resident Judges in the Health, Education and Social Care Chamber (HESC) of the First-tier Tribunal.
The seminar will take place via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 21 July 2026, from 5pm to 6pm, ahead of the Judicial Appointments Commission’s (JAC) forthcoming recruitment campaign. The JAC is expected to launch a selection exercise in August 2026 to appoint eight Resident Judges to the chamber.
According to the Judicial Office, the event aims to help prospective candidates prepare for the application process by providing guidance on the JAC’s selection procedure. Participants will also hear directly from the President of the Health, Education and Social Care Chamber, who will on his plans for the chamber, and from a serving leadership judge who will explain the responsibilities of the Resident Judge role in day-to-day practice.
The seminar is open to judicial office holders and legal practitioners from all professional backgrounds, including solicitors and Chartered Legal Executives, provided they have at least five years’ post-qualification legal experience. Candidates are expected to have completed at least 30 sitting days as a judge or in a quasi-judicial capacity by the point they submit their application.
The Health, Education and Social Care Chamber forms part of the First-tier Tribunal and deals with a range of specialist jurisdictions. The Judicial Office has emphasised that, although it is responsible for organising the seminar, the recruitment exercise itself will be conducted and led by the Judicial Appointments Commission. The session is intended to give prospective applicants a clearer understanding of the appointment process before applications formally open.
Those wishing to attend must register in advance through the Judicial Careers website. The Judicial Office has also provided dedicated contact details for enquiries relating to both the seminar and the forthcoming recruitment campaign.