Judicial Leadership A New Strategic Approach

We live in an era of economic austerity and political uncertainty. This has profound implications for all areas of publicly funded services; the justice system is no exception. During such times, the judiciary must remain steadfast in maintaining their independence irrespective of any funding model. Professor Hardy and Sir Ryder set out a vision for the Justice system that takes a strategic approach to the legal system, explicitly based on national self-interest and commercial effectiveness. They argue that, in striving for such a strategic approach to the justice system, there should not be separate access to justice and business reliance on the Rule of Law, as if they are separate worlds. The authors advocate an approach enabling access to justice to be efficient as well as effective, evidence based and founded on solid analysis of needs and capabilities. This new strategic approach would therefore be to ensure that the Judiciary, as 'one judiciary' is equipped and skilled as proficiently as it possible and as aligned and as effective in its leadership. The authors bring unique expertise to the pursuit of 'one judiciary', carefully and thoroughly analysing how such a system would work in theory and in practice. This revolutionary monograph promises to be a defining text in the field of judicial leadership. It is essential reading for all Judicial Office Holders, legal policy makers, legal practitioners and academics, and for all those with an interest in human resources, business and management, psychology, and law.

1 - Introduction
2 - The Organisation of Leadership in the Judiciary
3 - Theoretical Perspectives
4 - Principles and Practice
5 - Approaches to Leadership
6 - Developing a New Strategic Approach for the Judiciary
7 - Conclusions

Sir Ernest Ryder is the Senior President of Tribunals in the United Kingdom and a Lord Justice of Appeal. He is also an Honorary Professor of Law and a Visiting Fellow of Nuffield College, University of Oxford. He is the Chairman of the Administrative Justice Council and the Course Director of the Leadership, Management and Development Programme in the Judicial College of England and Wales. He is a Trustee of the Nuffield Foundation. Professor Stephen Hardy is Head of Coventry Law School at Coventry University. He formerly practised as a barrister specialising in employment, commercial and public law, acting in several notable cases. He is an internationally recognised scholar in the fields of labour and social security laws. He previously worked at the EU Commission and the European Parliament. He has been a Judge of the First Tier Tribunal since 2011.