Supreme Court in Belfast

In addition to the Court hearings, a number of other activities are planned as part of the Supreme Court's sitting in Belfast between Monday 30 April and Thursday 3 May 2018.

As part of a four-day programme, Lady Hale, President of The Supreme Court will be joined by, Lord Mance, Deputy President of The Supreme Court, Lord Kerr (former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland), Lord Hodge and Lady Black

Talks and events

Monday 30 April 2018

Supreme Court Justice Lord Kerr will deliver a lecture, at the invitation of the Government Legal Service, in the afternoon.

That evening all five Justices will attend the opening of Belfast's brand-new Resolution Centre. Lady Hale will officially open the venue, unveiling a special plaque to commemorate the event, and Lord Kerr will deliver a short speech.

Tuesday 1 May 2018

Lady Hale and Lady Black will both speak at an event that will be jointly hosted by the Northern Irish Civil Service Women's Network, The Law Society of Northern Ireland, and The Bar of Northern Ireland.

Lord Hodge will address the Politics Society at Sullivan Upper School, which is a mixed cross-denominational voluntary grammar school in Holywood, that afternoon.

Thursday 3 May 2018

The Court will host a moot final between students from both of Northern Ireland's universities, and a talk given by current Supreme Court Judicial Assistants, both of which will be open to the public and are free to attend.

The Belfast Moot Final

10:00 to 12:00

Inn of Court (in The Bar Library, off the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice)

The Supreme Court will take its successful moot programme 'on tour' for the first time. Students from Queen's University and Ulster University from will take part, and the moot will be judged by the five Supreme Court Justices sitting in Belfast that week.

The final will be open to the public and members of the public are encouraged to come and watch.

There is no need to book at ticket. Seats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. A queuing system will be in operation and from 08:45 via the Supreme Court reception desk situated outside the entrance to The Bar Library in the Great Hall. Members of the public wishing to attend should enter via the main entrance to the

Royal Courts of Justice

Chichester Street

Belfast

BT1 3JF.

The Royal Courts of Justice building opens at 8.30am. All visitors will need to go through security checks when entering the building. These checks are similar to those at airports.

Seats in both the room will be unreserved. A number of spaces are available for wheelchair users and people with access needs will permitted to enter the room from 09:30 to minimise the length of time they must queue. Access for all other members of the public will commence 15 minutes later, at 09:45.

Please note that the moot final will be photographed.

Talk: One Year As a Judicial Assistant at the Supreme Court

12.30 to 13:15

Inn of Court (in The Bar Library, off the Great Hall of the Royal Courts of Justice)

Judicial Assistants provide vital support to Supreme Court Justices, including joining them in court for hearings, carrying out important research and drafting concise summaries of judgments for the press and public. The Court appoints up to seven Judicial Assistants each year. They are qualified lawyers, solicitors, barristers or advocates, qualified in one of the UK jurisdictions, who have completed a training contract or pupillage.

This talk provides an opportunity to hear four current Judicial Assistants talk about their role. They will discuss what the role entails, how the application process works, and will open the floor to a 'question and answer session' too.

The event is free to attend and open to the public. It may be of particular interest to qualified solicitors and barristers who might be interested in applying for this opportunity at some point in the future.

There is no need to book and seats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. A queuing system will be in operation from midday, close to the Supreme Court reception desk situated outside the entrance to The Bar Library in the Great Hall.

Seats in both the room will be unreserved, and a number of spaces are available for wheelchair users.

Please note that both the moot final and Judicial Assistants' talk will be photographed.

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