Courts Service Judicial Assistant 2026

1. THE ROLE

The role of judicial assistant is to provide assistance to a judge in the carrying out of their judicial function. This includes providing assistance with court going activities, administrative and general support.

Judicial assistants support judges of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the Circuit Court.

Duties may vary depending on the jurisdiction to which successful candidates are appointed. You may be required to assist other jurisdictions, if and when required.

The courtroom is a formal setting. Court rooms may consist of loud noises, bright lighting and large crowds of people. Strong concentration is key, and the judicial assistant must be comfortable working in this setting.

All judicial assistants will be given the opportunity to do the following:

·         Work with members of the judiciary;

·         Contribute to the efficient running of court and administration of justice;

·         Deepen their knowledge and understanding of how the Irish legal system works;

·         Develop know-how of court procedures, court rules and the running of various court lists;

·         Strengthen legal research and legal writing skills;

·         Learn new skills throughout the duration of their contract;

·         Build a network with legal professionals, academics, Courts Service and civil service staff;

·         Participate in competitive opportunities for career advancement both within the public and private sector; and

·         Work and travel within the various jurisdictions in the Irish Courts.

2. Key Responsibilities

Court Responsibilities

·         Research matters of law which arise in the conduct of proceedings before the court and furnish a written or oral report to the judge.

·         Summarise facts, legal submissions, case law and relevant material as directed by the judge for inclusion in draft judgments.

·         Assist in research for draft judgments and/or legal queries on behalf of the judge.

·         Assist the judge with document proof reading.

·         Accompany the judge to court and remain in court during hearings to note evidence and submissions as directed.

·         Set up the bench according to the requirements of the judge.

·         Assist with the management of the judge’s official documentation (books and papers) required for court.

·         Advise the judge in advance of lists for the following week and ensure arrangements are in place for same.

·         Ensure the judge has the information required in relation to cases to include names of parties, type of case, duration of case, legal representatives and so forth.

·         Cooperate with the Court Registrar and/or other relevant Courts Service staff to support the efficient running of the court.

·         Act as liaison between the judge and the parties to litigation (if required) and ensure parties to a case and their representatives are aware of when their case will be heard and are in the right location at the right time.

·         Assist the court in compliance with the in camera rule in relevant cases and as directed by the judge.

Administration

·         Manage the chambers of the judge as required.

·         Keep the judge’s diary of court and other appointments.

·         General administrative support duties.

·         Other duties as required by the judge.

General

·         Assist the judge in the course of official duties.

·         Accompany the judge as required. This may involve travelling to any location in Ireland from time to time and require staying in the location for the period of that assignment.

·         Be available to the judge at all times during office hours Monday to Friday to perform whatever duties directed by the judge.

·         Be available for official duties, if required, during the evening or at weekends. This role may require overnight stays.

·         Where a judicial assistant is not required to perform duties for the judge to whom they are assigned, the Courts Service will assign other duties as appropriate.

·         Judicial Assistants are entitled to 22 days leave per year which must be taken in Court vacation and not during term.

Note, the above is intended as a guide and is neither definitive nor restrictive.

3. Essential Requirements:

·         Hold (or expect to hold) at least a 2.1 in a law degree at a minimum of

level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications in their final year exams or the Diploma in Law from the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. See list at the end of the booklet. Only courses on this list will be accepted;

·         A good understanding of the work of the Irish courts system; and

·         A knowledge of modern legal research methods and materials; and

·         Proven experience conducting legal research (this can include academic research or research in the course of court case preparation).

The following qualifications are desirable;

·         A 1:1 in a law degree at a minimum of level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications in their final year exams or the Diploma in Law from the Honorable Society of King’s Inns

·         A professional legal qualification or post graduate qualification in law.

·         Fluency in Irish and in particular an ability to read and understand legal materials in the Irish language.

4. APPLICATION PROCESS

Your application can be made by logging in through link on advertisement. No hard copy forms or forms by email will be accepted.

The closing date is 12 noon on Friday 23 January 2026.

The admission of a person to a competition, or invitation to attend an interview, is not to be taken as implying the Courts Service is satisfied such a person fulfils the requirements of the competition or is not disqualified by law from holding the position and does not carry a guarantee that your application will receive further consideration.

It is important, therefore, for candidates to note that the onus is on them to ensure that they meet the eligibility requirements for the competition before attending for interview. If a candidate does not meet these essential entry requirements but nevertheless attends for interview, that candidate will be putting him or herself to unnecessary expense.

The Courts Service accepts no responsibility for communication not accessed or received by an applicant.

5. Assessment of applications

The selection process involves three stages as follows:

·                 Determination of the candidate’s eligibility to compete based on academic achievement and eligibility to work in Ireland.

·                 A handwritten selection exercise undertaken in person.

·                 A competitive interview.

If candidates are deemed ineligible to compete, they are eliminated from the competition. If candidates are deemed eligible, their application form is assessed to determine suitability to progress to undertake the selection exercise.

Those who achieve a mark of 50% or above in the selection exercise will be invited to interview.

Candidates must provide sufficiently detailed information that relates to their own specific experience and achievements. Responses that are generic or vague may result in candidates not being shortlisted for the selection exercise. Any information you include may be discussed should you be invited to interview.

Your communication skills will be assessed on the answers you provide on your application form.

Capabilities

Candidates should demonstrate that they have the ability to carry out successfully the duties of the role, as well as the skills and capabilities namely:

Building Future Readiness

Digital Focus

• Utilises technology and digital skills to drive efficiencies and support better service delivery

Openness to Change

• Shows interest and openness to change, innovation and new technology or processes
• Willing to try new approaches, seeking support when needed and openly sharing and learning from mistakes

Innovation & Creative Solutions

• Puts forward innovative ideas, creative solutions or helpful suggestions, no matter how small

Building Expertise & Upskilling for the Future

• Enthusiastic about development opportunities, demonstrating a positive attitude, openness to feedback and willingness to learn
• Committed to improving knowledge and skills for the future
• Develops specialist expertise in their area, through listening and learning from others

Evidence Informed Delivery

Managing Work Effectively

• Manages, plans and prioritises workload to ensure targets and deadlines are met
• Works in a systematic, organised and efficient manner
• Uses their time effectively, seeking additional work or volunteering to support others during quiet periods

Delivering Quality Outcomes & Service

• Maintains a focus on quality, accuracy and attention to detail, even when completing routine tasks
• Delivers high quality and professional customer service
• Actively seeks support, checks and reviews their work to ensure high standards

Attitude, Ownership & Flexibility

• Takes ownership and responsibility over work, strives to become self-sufficient in their area of responsibility
• Gets up to speed with new tasks or roles at an appropriate pace and asks questions to ensure correct understanding
• Flexible, agile and resilient in the face of challenges or changing demands, maintaining a ‘can-do’ attitude and seeking support as necessary

Handling Information, Problems and Decisions

Gathering & Processing Information

• Ability to gather, understand and work with information from a range of different sources
• Handles all information and data carefully, particularly when dealing with sensitive or confidential matters
• Checks, processes, and interprets information and data, in an accurate and timely manner

Problem Solving

• Identifies and solves problems in an effective and efficient manner, with support
• Understands when to escalate issues, sharing all relevant information and working with others to find a solution

Informed Judgement & Decision Making

• Makes good judgements and decisions, considering the available information and following the relevant procedures or protocol
• Makes appropriate and timely decisions on matters within own remit, seeking support and referring decisions upward, where necessary

Communicating & Collaborating

Collaboration, Teamwork & Building Relationships

• Utilises interpersonal skills to build positive and effective working relationships, even in a blended or hybrid working environment
• Effective collaboration and teamworking skills, plays their part and works well with team members

Effective Communication

• Communicates in a clear, helpful and appropriate manner verbally, digitally, and in writing
• Willing to communicate openly, sharing their views, thoughts and concerns
• Keeps others updated, sharing all relevant details
• Approaches difficult conversations with care and professionalism, seeking support when required

Engaging, Including & Listening

• Listens carefully to others and takes on board their views, guidance and feedback
• Appreciates diversity and makes an effort to listen, include and engage with a variety of people

Candidates with Disabilities

The Courts Service seeks to attract candidates from all sectors of society, ensuring career opportunities are accessible to all who are interested. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all candidates. If you have a disability or need reasonable accommodation made during the selection process, you should share this with us so you get the support you need.

Reasonable accommodation in our selection process refers to adjustments and practical changes which would enable a disabled candidate to have an equal opportunity for this competition. Examples of adjustments we provide include the use of assistive technology, extra time, scribes and/or readers or a range of other accommodations.

Please be assured that having a disability or requiring adjustments will not impact on your progress in the selection process; you will not be at a disadvantage if you disclose your disability or requirements to us. Your disability and/or adjustments will be kept entirely confidential.

 

6. Selection Exercise & Interview

Selection Exercise:

Following the assessment process successful candidates will be invited to an in-person written selection exercise be held on the week of the 16 February 2026 in Dublin (Venue to be confirmed).

The selection exercise is designed by the Courts Service and Kings Inns and marked by tutors from Kings Inns. Topics assessed include proof reading, legal analysis, drafting and legal writing. The pass mark is 50%.

Achieving 50% or more in the selection exercise does not guarantee an interview as there may be more candidates eligible for interview than is required.

If you receive a mark less than 50% in the selection exercise you will be eliminated.

Interview:

Interviews will be in person only from March to May 2026 in Dublin.

Interviews will be held in batches per Jurisdiction with the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal first, followed by the High Court and then the Circuit Court.

Interview boards comprise a judge and one or two members of the Courts Service.

If you are interviewed for a jurisdiction, there is no guarantee of appointment to that at jurisdiction.

Interviews will be structured in format, with candidates asked to provide examples of the capabilities for the role as outlined in Section 5of this document. You may be asked about the experience described on the application form or they may ask for other examples. It is anticipated the interview will last 45 minutes.

You may be invited to a follow up meeting with a member of the Judiciary after your interview.

To be considered for a position you must receive 50% or more in each capability.

 

Commencement date

The start date for appointments is Monday 14 September 2026. There will be a two week orientation programme. If you are unable to start on 14 September 2026, in exceptional circumstances only you may defer your start date to September 2027.

 

Confidentiality

Candidates can expect that all enquiries, applications and all aspects of the proceedings to the extent that they are managed by the Courts Service are treated as strictly confidential subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014. However, candidates should note that all application material may be made available to the interview board. Certain items of information, not specific to any individual, are extracted from computer records for general statistical purposes.

 

Garda Vetting

Garda vetting will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for appointment. The applicant will be required to complete and return a Garda Vetting form should they come under consideration for appointment.

This form will be forwarded to An Garda Siochána for security checks on all Irish and Northern Irish addresses at which they resided. Enquiries may also be made with the police force of any country in which the applicant under consideration for appointment resided. If the applicant subsequently comes under consideration for another position, they will be required to supply this information again.

 

Other important information

The Courts Service will not be responsible for refunding any expenses incurred by candidates.

Prior to recommending any candidate for appointment to this position the Courts Service will make all such enquiries that are deemed necessary to determine the suitability of that candidate. Until all stages of the recruitment process have been fully completed a final determination cannot be made nor can it be deemed or inferred that such a determination has been made.

Salary

The salary scale for the position with effect from 1st August 2025 is €37,817 per annum. The salary will increase to €40,843 in the third and final year of the contract.

New entrants to the Civil Service will be appointed to the first point of the (PPC) salary scale.

The PPC pay rate applies when the individual is required to pay a Personal Pension Contribution (otherwise known as a main scheme contribution) in accordance with the rules of their main/personal superannuation scheme. This is different to a contribution in respect of membership of a Spouses’ and Children’s scheme, or the Additional Superannuation Contributions (ASC). A different rate will apply where the appointee is not required to make a Personal Pension Contribution.

Salary is payable weekly in arrears by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) into a bank account of the appointees’ choice. Statutory deductions will be made from salary as appropriate by the Courts Service.

 

Candidates should note the salary is not open to negotiation.

The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

Duties

Appointees will be expected to perform all acts, duties and obligations as appropriate to this position (which may be revised from time to time).

Probation

Appointees will be required to serve a 12-month probationary period. During the period of the probation, an officer's performance will be subject to review by the appropriate supervisor(s) to determine whether the officer:

(i) has performed in a satisfactory manner,

(ii) has been satisfactory in general conduct, and

(iii) is suitable from the point of view of health with particular regard to sick leave.

Prior to completion of the probationary period, a decision will be made as to whether or not an appointee will be retained pursuant to Section 5A(2) of the Civil Service Regulation Acts 1956-2005. This decision will be based on an appointee’s performance assessed against the criteria set out in (i) to (iii) above.

The details of the probationary process will be explained to each appointee by the Courts Services as the employer and a copy of guidelines on probation issued by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will be provided.

In the event that an appointee is not considered as suitable to the position of Judicial Assistant having been assessed against stated criteria, the appointee will be notified in writing of the action to be taken.

Hours of Attendance

This is a fulltime post, and hours of attendance will be fixed from time to time but will amount to not less than 41 hours and 15 minutes gross per week. Appointees will be required to work such additional hours from time to time as may be reasonable and necessary for the proper performance of his or her duties subject to the limits set down under working time regulations.

Annual Leave

The annual leave entitlement for this post is 22 working days per year. This leave is on the basis of a five-day week and is exclusive of the usual public holidays. Annual leave, other than in exceptional circumstances, will not be granted during the legal term.

Headquarters

The appointee’s headquarters will be such as may be designated from time to time by the Courts Service. Generally, appointees will be based in the Four Courts or in the Criminal Courts of Justice and in other court locations throughout the country.

There may be a requirement for some travel associated with this post. When absent from home and headquarters on official duty, an officer will be paid appropriate travelling expenses and subsistence allowances subject to normal Civil Service regulations.