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Judge
Judges run court hearings and make decisions about legal cases. They listen to evidence, apply the law fairly, and write decisions that explain their reasoning. It's a role that requires integrity and the ability to stay calm under pressure.
Degree usually required
AI impact: low££££ payUni route
18
AI impact
how much AI is reshaping it
Robin · your guide
Curious about being a judge? Here's the honest picture - what you'd really do, what you'd earn, and every way in. No need to decide anything yet.
What you'd actually do
As a judge, you run court hearings and decide what happens in legal cases. You listen carefully to both sides of an argument, read evidence, and apply the law to reach a fair decision. Your job is to make sure everyone gets a fair hearing and that the law is applied correctly. It's one of the most important jobs in the legal system.
Your day in court involves managing the hearing, asking questions to understand the facts, considering the arguments from both sides, and then making a decision. After the hearing, you write a detailed judgment explaining your decision and why you made it - this document becomes part of the legal record and might be read by other courts. The work is serious and sometimes involves difficult situations, but knowing you've helped deliver justice fairly makes it worthwhile. To become a judge you'll need many years of experience as a lawyer first.
1Preside over court proceedings, ensuring that trials are conducted fairly and in accordance with the law.
2Analyze legal arguments, evidence, and witness testimonies to make informed decisions.
3Draft and deliver judgments, providing clear reasoning and legal basis for decisions made.
4Manage courtroom procedures and maintain order during trials, addressing any disruptions or issues.
5Collaborate with legal professionals, including barristers and solicitors, to facilitate smooth proceedings.
6Review case files and legal documents to prepare for upcoming hearings and trials.
7Engage in continuous legal education to stay updated on changes in laws and legal precedents.
8Mentor junior judges and legal professionals, sharing knowledge and best practices.
Career progression & pay
01
Getting in
Junior Judge
£60,000 - £70,000
Qualified solicitor or barrister with relevant experience.
Junior judges typically start in lower courts, gaining experience in presiding over cases and making judgements under the guidance of more senior judges.
02
Building up
Mid-Level Judge
£80,000 - £100,000
Significant experience as a barrister or solicitor, with a proven track record in legal practice.
Mid-level judges handle more complex cases and may begin to specialise in certain areas of law, contributing to legal opinions and mentoring junior judges.
03
At the top
Senior Judge
£150,000+
Extensive legal experience, often with a background in high-profile cases or legal academia.
Senior judges preside over the most significant cases, influence legal standards, and may take on administrative responsibilities within the judiciary.
Degrees that lead here via Law
Accelerated Graduate Programme
University of Stirling
Anthropology and Law
The London School of Economics and Political Science
Applied Criminology with Forensic Investigation
Stratford College London Limited
Applied Criminology with Forensic Investigation with Foundation Year
Stratford College London Limited
Bachelor of Laws
Glasgow Caledonian University
Bachelor of Laws (UCL) and LLB Bachelor of Laws (University of Hong Kong)
University College London
Apprenticeships that lead here
No apprenticeship standard maps directly yet - the university or college route is the main way in.
Who hires - top UK employers
Judiciary of England and Wales
The official body responsible for the administration of justice in England and Wales.
Crown Prosecution Service
The principal public agency for conducting criminal prosecutions in England and Wales.
The Law Society
The professional body for solicitors in England and Wales, providing support and guidance.
AI & the future of this job
Judging is one of the most AI-resistant careers in existence, and for reasons that go well beyond legal complexity. The role demands constitutional legitimacy, public trust, and the kind of contextual moral reasoning that no LLM can replicate or be held accountable for. AI tools will assist with legal research, case precedent retrieval, and administrative burden, but the act of adjudication itself sits firmly in human hands. The judiciary's authority derives from democratic and legal frameworks that actively require human judgment at the centre.
Within 5 Years
Light administrative relief
By 2031, judges will benefit from AI tools that surface relevant case law faster, flag procedural inconsistencies, and reduce the clerical load of judgment drafting support. These tools will be positioned as research aids, not decision-makers, and judicial oversight of their outputs will be mandatory. The core workload of presiding, weighing evidence, and delivering reasoned judgments remains entirely unchanged. If anything, caseload pressures in UK courts mean the demand for judicial capacity is more likely to grow than shrink.
Within 10 Years
Expanded AI evidence scrutiny
By 2036, a significant portion of cases before UK courts will involve AI-generated content, algorithmic outputs used in sentencing recommendations, or disputes arising from automated decisions in insurance, benefits, or employment. Judges will need deep working knowledge of how these systems function and where they fail, essentially becoming critical auditors of AI logic in high-stakes contexts. Training and continuing professional development will evolve substantially to meet this. The role grows in complexity rather than shrinking.
Within 20 Years
Central human anchor in AI governance
By 2046, the judiciary will likely be one of the most important institutions in managing the societal consequences of AI deployment at scale. Judges will adjudicate on AI liability, autonomous systems, data rights, and algorithmic harm in ways that will set lasting legal precedent. Far from being displaced, they become the human check on a world where automated systems hold increasing power over individual lives. The authority, independence, and moral weight of judicial office will be more valued, not less.
How to stay ahead
Develop technical-legal fluency early
Understanding how machine learning systems work, what algorithmic bias looks like, and how digital evidence is generated will be foundational for future judges. Take elective modules in technology law, data ethics, or digital forensics during your degree or GDL. This knowledge will be rare among practitioners and disproportionately valued by appointment panels.
Master AI-assisted legal research without depending on it
AI research tools like Lexis+ AI and Thomson Reuters CoCounsel are already entering chambers and law firms. Learn to use them critically, verifying outputs and understanding their retrieval logic, rather than treating them as authoritative. Judges who have practised law in this environment will be better equipped to assess when AI-assisted submissions from counsel are reliable or flawed.
Build your record in complex, discretion-heavy practice
Judicial appointments in England and Wales are made by the Judicial Appointments Commission based on legal knowledge, decisiveness, and integrity under pressure. Seek practice areas where human judgment is irreplaceable, criminal law, public law, family proceedings, and complex commercial disputes. These are precisely the areas AI cannot encroach on, and they build the experience profile that appointment panels prioritise.
Engage with AI policy and legal reform processes
The Law Commission, Ministry of Justice, and parliamentary committees are actively consulting on AI and the law. Engaging with these processes as a junior barrister or solicitor, whether through submissions, research, or working with specialist bodies like the Society for Computers and Law, signals the kind of forward-thinking profile that distinguishes future judicial candidates. It also puts you inside the conversations shaping the legal landscape you will eventually preside over.
How to get in - your routes
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