... bringing you the latest news, views and information from The Law Society of Jersey.

This issue includes Christmas Greetings from the Bailiff and the Law Society, news of the new Royal Court practice direction establishing a framework for the Broadcast of Judges' Sentencing remarks and a revised process for Court Dates and Date Fix Appointments, as well as news of a change to the practice for the Appointment of Court Interpreters. The Employment section below carries information on an open vacancy for Assistant Judicial Greffier, Appellate and Samedi.

Law Society news includes confirmation of the Annual CPD Certification Requirements for firms as well as details of Revised CPD Requirements for 2026.

Legal aid news includes notice of revised capital and income threshold limits for 2026.

Revenue Jersey has asked us to bring to the profession's attention a statement on the application of LTT to the purchase of parking spaces via shares (see below), and a warning relating to members' firms with associated service companies and their GST registrations (or lack thereof - see further below).

Further reminders relating to important dates for members' diaries, members' and firms' obligations for updating the Law Society, and a number of other court-related, government and regulatory announcements are also included, along with wellbeing, education and employment updates.

The Bailiff has this afternoon, in line with tradition, delivered the Court's Christmas Greetings in the Royal Court, which we are pleased to publish in its entirety for the benefit of the entire legal profession.

"Mr Attorney General, Mr Bâtonnier

1. Thank you for your Christmas greetings and your good wishes to members of the Court which are both appreciated and warmly reciprocated.

2. This is not a review of the year but it is a good opportunity to reflect on one or two events of particular importance to the Court and the Island over the last 12 months.

3. First, of course, was the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Liberation which, two months earlier, had been formally recognised as our national day by the States Assembly.  This was a truly wonderful occasion made more special by the presence of the visiting guests and people of all ages and backgrounds who make up our Island community – not least, of course, the band of senior citizens who were here during the Occupation.  It is our task to seize the torch of Liberation and to ensure that the message of Liberation remains important, that the sacrifice of those who suffered five years of occupation is never forgotten and that we remind ourselves never to take for granted the freedoms that we enjoy today.

4. One of the special guests on Liberation Day was Sir Winston Churchill’s grandson, Lord Soames.

5. He had not been to Jersey before and at the end of the day he said two things of note.  First he said that he hadn’t enjoyed himself so much for years.  Secondly, he said that he did not know that places like Jersey still existed.  When he said this he meant it as a warm compliment to the Island.  And it is important for us all to remember notwithstanding the challenges that many people face in our community whether because they are struggling to make ends meet or have insecure employment, poor health or for any other reason, we are all privileged to live in an island where the natural environment is beautiful, the streets are safe and we are able to rely on our neighbours.

6. It was also a great privilege to welcome The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, to the Royal Court only a few weeks ago to unveil the wonderful portrait that many will have seen as you came into the building today of The King and Queen as they left the Royal Square after a special sitting of the Royal Court in July of last year.  It is a permanent reminder of a special day and of our long connection as a people and as an island to the Crown.

7. There have been a number of changes to the Court this year.  We have sworn in three new Commissioners.  Her Honour Judge Patricia Lees is a criminal specialist and we are fortunate to have two sitting English circuit judges (Commissioner Wright and Commissioner Lees) spending part of their year presiding over cases in the Royal Court.  Commissioner Oldland, who has had over 20 years’ experience as a part-time Crown Court judge in England was sworn in as a Commissioner on 7 March and after the briefest possible retirement, our 90th Bailiff, Sir Timothy Le Cocq, was sworn in as a Commissioner on 10 November.

8. As to the bench of Jurats, Jurat Dr Gareth Hughes retired on 16 January.  His successor, Jurat Mike Powell, was sworn in on 6 March.  Jurat Steven Austin-Vautier retired on 16 February and his successor, Jurat Donald Gardener, was sworn in on 3 April.

9. Sir Adrian Fulford retired from the Court of Appeal on 7 June and Sir William Bailhache, after many years of service, retired from the same Court on 24 June.  Roderick Dunlop KC and Angus McCullough KC, two very distinguished British lawyers, were sworn in to replace them on 24 November.

10. It has been an extremely busy year in the courts.  We do not yet have the statistics for 2025 but in 2024 there were 466 sitting days and if you in fact added up the number of days, including parts of days, on which judges sat the total of sitting days came to 572.  The figure of 466 sitting days is possibly the highest figure ever and certainly higher than the previous five years for which I have the statistics to hand.

11. This is a consequence, principally, of the much-increased volume of criminal work including both jury trials and Jurat trials.  26.6% of the judicial work was done by the Deputy Bailiff, 22.1% by the Bailiff, 43% by Jersey Commissioners and 7% by UK-based Commissioners.

12. The pressure of accommodating so many jury trials and the associated additional hearings and correspondence has meant that the listing has been under a lot of pressure.  Various mechanisms are being considered to improve the listing system and a new email account, monitored by two members of staff, was made available and a new practice introduced earlier this week which, it is to be hoped, will substantially improve the system for listing cases.  We are also considering methods by which incoming email correspondence not connected to listing can be routed and dealt with in a more effective way.  More announcements will be made in that regard next year.

13. You will also be aware that for the first time, sentencing decisions may be broadcast, on application of the Jersey accredited media, in cases that are of substantial public interest.  This has now happened twice.  The purpose of this change is to enable members of the public to better understand the reasons for sentencing decisions made in the Royal Court.  Our courts have always been transparent.  We are committed to open justice and almost all our decisions are published.  There cannot be many jurisdictions where the publication of court reasons is so extensive.  This is a further move in the direction of greater transparency.  I am pleased that we were able to make this change swiftly which is one of the merits of operating in a small jurisdiction.  I thank everyone involved in the consultation process prior to the introduction of this change for their co-operation and support.

14. I should like to thank all those who contribute to the administration of justice for their hard work.  To the Commissioners, to the Jurats, to the staff of the Bailiff’s Chambers, to the Judicial Greffier and her staff, to the Viscount and the Deputy Viscount and their staff and to all those volunteers who participate in the administration of justice – not least, members of the jury.

15. My thanks also go to the legal profession. We are very grateful to members of the legal profession and the assistance they give in the Court. In substantial trust and commercial cases, we benefit from the assistance given to us by the Bar enabling us to navigate complicated factual and legal issues. In public law and private law family cases and in criminal cases, we are grateful to those who carry out publicly-funded work in cases that are of the utmost importance to those at the centre of them, whether they are children, victims, witnesses or defendants.

16. Finally, the reason we are exchanging these messages at all is because it is Christmas-time. The time of the year when people traditionally set aside their differences, enjoy time with their families, have the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of Christmas and the message of Christmas and the events that took place over 2,000 years ago which lead us to celebrate in the way that we do today.

17. Accordingly, on behalf of all the members of the Royal Court, I wish you, Mr Attorney, the Solicitor General, the staff of the Law Officers’ Department and all the members of the Bar, the Ecrivains and all their families a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year."

Robert MacRae

19 December 2025

The President, Advocate Nigel Sanders, Chief Executive Neville Benbow, Operations Manager Jonathan Bale, and the members of the Committee of the Law Society wish you and your families all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Jersey's Attorney General Mark Temple KC will be sworn in as Deputy Bailiff on Monday 19 January 2026 at 11:30am.

Members of the legal profession will be allocated tickets in due course. Practitioners are reminded that they will have to be seated by 11:00am.

Entry to the Royal Court (or States Chamber) without a ticket will not be permitted under any circumstances.

The Royal Court of Jersey has issued a Practice Direction regarding the recording and broadcast of the sentencing remarks of judges to the public.

This development supports the Court’s commitment to open justice and greater public understanding of how serious criminal cases are sentenced.

The Practice Direction sets out how and when sentencing remarks may be filmed and shared. The change means that, in certain cases, authorised media organisations will be able to record a judge delivering their sentencing remarks and broadcast the footage on television, radio, and online platforms. Only the judge delivering their sentencing remarks may be filmed. Jurats, defendants, lawyers, court staff, victims and witnesses must not be recorded.

This Practice Direction is effective as from 2:00pm on 3 December 2025.

Click Broadcasting Sentencing to view/download the Practice Direction.

Click Courts to view all Practice Directions.

Revised guidance in relation to members' Continuing Professional Development obligations has been approved by the Law Society.

The purpose of continuing professional development (“CPD”) is to allow members to continue to develop and enhance their legal knowledge to the degree expected of a professional.

Pursuant to Rule 7.7 of the Code of Conduct, all Jersey qualified advocates and écrivains are required to undertake 15 hours of CPD per calendar year (the “CPD Requirement”). Additional guidance to Rule 7 is set out in paragraphs G.7.17 and G7.18 of the Code of Conduct.

Revised further guidance is now set out in Guidance Note GN05: Continuing Professional Development - Eligible Activities (“GN05”) and Guidance Note GN06: Continuing Professional Development - Waivers and Sanctions ("GN06"), which are intended to provide further information and guidance to members in respect of the CPD Requirement.

The CPD Requirement remains at 15 hours per annum in total.

However, a number of changes have been made to the CPD Requirement with effect from 1 January 2026:

• Private Study is no longer an eligible activity;
• A maximum amount of five (5) hours in any one CPD year can be claimed for preparation for the delivery of any presentation on a topic relevant to the practice of Jersey law;
• A maximum amount of five (5) hours in any one CPD year can be claimed for attendance at in-house meetings (which will only themselves be relevant if in the form of a seminar or other discussion of points of Jersey law, and then only for the relevant time of such seminar or discussion).

Members are advised to review the guidance regarding the CPD Requirement, which comes into effect from 1 January 2026.

To view/download the revised Guidance Notes, please click :

Guidance Note GN05 - CPD Eligible Activities

Guidance Note GN06 - CPD Waivers and Sanctions

To view / download the revised CPD recording template forms, please click :

CPD Record template (Excel) (preferred)

CPD Record template (Word)

Any queries should be sent directly to Jonathan Bale, Operations Manager, at manager@jerseylawsociety.je.

As members and firms will be aware, Law Society Subscriptions for Ordinary Members are now payable in two instalments.

The first instalment for 2026, comprising 50% of the previous year's subscription rate, will be issued by mid January to firms and, where applicable, individuals.

As Subscription invoices are based upon Law Society Membership Records, any changes in firm or status which have occurred but which have not been notified to the Law Society must be advised no later than 7 January 2026.

[See 'Law Society Membership - Updating Your Details' below]

Members are reminded that subscriptions are payable on demand.  Prompt payment is requested.

The second instalment, representing the balance of the Ordinary Member subscription (as agreed at the 2026 Law Society AGM), will be invoiced in early July.

Any levies (e.g. Client Protection Fund) will be collected with the second instalment.

Subscription requests for Non Practising Members will be issued in the first week in March 2026.

Please note that subscriptions are subject to GST.  GST is not payable on any specific purpose levies which are raised.

Any queries in relation to subscriptions should be directed to the Accounts Department on 01534 613909 or by email at accounts@jerseylawsociety.je.

The Jersey International Child Law Conference is taking place on Friday 13th March 2026 from 9.30am to 5.30pm at The Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, St Helier.

This will be a child law conference covering both private and public law and the theme is “Modern Families”. The
programme will include sessions in respect of parentage, assisted reproduction, surrogacy, adoption, LGBT families
and recent changes in the law in Jersey and internationally.

We are very pleased that Mrs Justice Theis will be our
keynote speaker and the event will be chaired by HHJ Wildblood.

Further details can be downloaded here, and the booking form can be downloaded here.

Have you completed at least 15 hours of CPD for 2025?

Does your CPD record adequately detail the activity undertaken?

On or before 31 January 2026, each ordinary member of The Law Society of Jersey must file a written confirmation, either personally or as part of a group return submitted on their behalf by the individual’s firm, stating that he or she has completed the CPD Requirement for 2025 (or is a newly qualified Jersey Advocate or Solicitor).  Full or partial exemptions which have been applied for and granted must be noted on the confirmation letter.

It is the responsibility of the individual member to ensure that a CPD Confirmation has been filed on his or her behalf.  CPD Confirmations should be sent to the Operations Manager, The Law Society of Jersey, PO Box 493, St Helier, Jersey or by email to Manager@jerseylawsociety.je.

Where, for any reason, members are not included in their firm's certification, the member must personally submit their CPD record to Manager@jerseylawsociety.je.

The template for firms to complete can be downloaded here.

An Audit of 20% of CPD records will commence in February 2026. Members who are selected for audit are asked to submit their CPD records promptly to the Society.

Any questions in relation to CPD should be directed to Jonathan Bale on 01534 613950 or at manager@jerseylawsociety.je.

Law firms operating as LLPs which have been recognised by the Law Society of Jersey as Legal Services Bodies ("LSBs") are reminded that any changes in the membership of the Legal Services Body must be advised to the Law Society in advance of the effective date of such changes.

Click Update to download the Legal Services Body Update Form.

Any queries in relation to LSBs, including in relation to potential new applications, should be directed to Jonathan Bale on 01534 613950 or email manager@jerseylawsociety.je.

Firms are reminded that any changes to their:

• practice address
• website address
• primary contact telephone number or
• email address for general enquiries

must be advised in advance of the effective date to the Law Society.

Notification of changes should be sent to Jonathan Bale on email manager@jerseylawsociety.je.

Where firms maintain a PO Box or JE1 address which does not include a physical office address, firms must provide the Law Society and the Court with a physical address for service purposes.

Key contact changes should also be advised by firms to the Legal Aid Office (email@legalaid.je) and to the Court (d.ozouf@courts.je).

Members are reminded that it is their personal responsibility to update the Law Society in respect of:

• change of firms
• change of circumstances
• change of contact details

Members are reminded of the importance of advising the Society of any changes in circumstances or firms.

Notification MUST be provided, in all cases, in advance of the effective date of the change.

All proposed changes must be advised by completion and submission of the Membership Update Form.

Click Update to download the Membership Update Form.

Completed Membership Update Forms must be sent to Jonathan Bale, Operations Manager at the Law Society at PO Box 493, St Helier, Jersey, JE4 5SZ, or by email at manager@jerseylawsociety.je.

No action will be taken in respect of any request until receipt by the Law Society of the Membership Update Form.

Members are reminded that any changes also need to be advised to the Judicial Greffe (to update the Court's records) so that they do not miss out on any important communications. Updates should be sent to Darrell Ozouf at d.ozouf@courts.je.

The Legal Aid Office should also be advised of any changes in personal details or circumstances. Details should be advised to email@legalaid.je.

The Bailiff has announced that the Bailiff’s Chambers will close at 1pm on Wednesday 24th December 2025 and will reopen at 8:45am on Monday 29th December 2025.

Likewise, the Royal Court Building, the Judicial Greffe and its departments located outside of the Royal Court Building and the Viscount’s Department will also close for the Christmas season at the same time.

As there will be no public access to the buildings during this period, collections from or deliveries to the respective receptions should be undertaken prior to 1pm on the 24th December 2025 to avoid delays.

On New Year's Eve, 31st December 2025, normal opening hours will be in operation.

The Bailiff's Chambers and the Court Services wish the profession, and all who use the Court Services, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Court users are advised that, with effect from 15 December 2025, the Bailiff's Chambers are introducing a revised process, on a trial basis, to streamline requests for Court Dates and Date-Fix Appointments.

The goal is to have one clear point of contact to enable court dates and date-fix appointments to be provided efficiently and in a timely manner, as well as to reduce unnecessary and repeated correspondence.

Further procedural enhancements, including a process to manage the volume of case correspondence being sent to the Court, will be introduced as soon as practicable.

The revised Court Listings Process is as follows:

How to Request a Court Date or Date-Fix Appointment

Email: datefix@courts.je

Subject line: Start with the case name (e.g., AG v Joe Bloggs), followed by “Court Date Request” or “Date-Fix Appointment”.

Copy all parties into the email.

Include in the email body:

• Parties’ names and contact details
• Availability (Teams or phone)
• Number of days required (agreed by parties before an  appointment)
• Who is filing the originating document (e.g., summons- Judge/Jurats requirement
• Any queries needing judicial input
• Dates parties are unavailable

Key Rules

Do not send other correspondence to this email.

No attachments except an Act of Court or Summons (copy relevant info into the email body).

Monitoring hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (weekdays only).

Urgent requests: If a date is needed within 5 working days, mark the email URGENT.

Matters arising during a trial requiring the court to sit early: correspondence should continue to be sent to the Bailiff’s Judicial Secretary.

Response time: Usually within 7 working days.

Follow-ups: Send by same email only, no phone calls.

After a date is offered: Parties must agree and send one consolidated response to confirm or request alternatives. If the latest date is selected an explanation must be given. Do not include Bailiff’s Chambers in further discussions.

The revised Court Date and Date Fix Process came into effect on Monday 15 December 2025.

Click Court Listings to view/download the revised process.

From January 2026, the Judicial Greffe will be assuming responsibility for the booking of court interpreters for defendants in criminal matters. The Judicial Greffier directs that the following procedure should be adopted by practitioners:

All defence verbal communication and meetings with the client

Arrangements will remain unchanged. An application should be made to the Judicial Greffier for approval to instruct an interpreter, in advance. Counsel remain responsible for sourcing the interpreter. For meetings and verbal communications, the rates of pay will be as per the hourly rates below, unless there is an exceptional need to depart from that rate.

Equally, should an interpreter be needed for a defence witness in court this procedure should be followed.

All defence written communications (including translations of documents)

Any translation work including the rate per word claimed will need to be approved in advance by the Judicial Greffier. An estimate of words per minute and a total estimate of the cost will be required prior to approval.

All Royal Court/Court of Appeal appearances

Counsel must communicate the requirement for an interpreter to the Judicial Greffe within two days of the indictment date being fixed in Magistrate’s Court, or as soon as the need for an interpreter arises. The communication should be emailed to JGRSamedi@courts.je. The email should reference the case name and include the following text in capital letters: “INTERPRETER NEEDED”.

The Judicial Greffe will then source an interpreter who will attend court either remotely or in person. Payment will be dealt with by the Judicial Greffe and in the event that any invoices are sent to you please forward them to d.ozouf@courts.je.

Provisions are also being made within the Judicial Greffe regarding communications between the courts dealing with the need for an interpreter.  It is nevertheless considered necessary for Counsel to participate in this process.  Counsel will have the first-hand knowledge of the language needs of their client that the court staff will not have.

Hourly rates

The rates for translation (verbal interpreting) will be as follows:

1. An hourly fee of £35 for all attendances for interpreting, save court attendances, unless otherwise agreed in advance;
2. For all court attendances there will be a minimum booking for hearings of three hours (so the minimum payment will be £105 unless otherwise agreed in advance). This will be for all hearings up to 3 hours;
3. If hearings last longer than 3 hours any subsequent hour or part thereof will be paid at the hourly rate.

In advance of the change to the procedure, the Judicial Greffier requests that defence lawyers communicate to the Judicial Greffe the current Royal Court cases where an interpreter is or will be required and the level of interpretation required by the defendant.

Practitioners are reminded that Case Centre Bundling Service is purely for the uploading of court bundles in advance of scheduled hearings before the Royal Court.  The uploading of a court bundle to Case Centre does not constitute ‘filing’ of pleadings/affidavits/draft orders etc with the Judicial Greffe.  To comply with ‘filing’ obligations, practitioners must ensure that they send all such documents to JGRCourtDocuments@courts.je.

Do not send emails filing documents to any other address in the court service.

Samedi Court - Ex parte Representations and Tabling
Ex-Parte Representations (clearly marked as “Ex-Parte Representation” or “Representation”) must be filed at JGRCourtDocuments@courts.je by no later than 5:00 pm on Tuesday of the week they are to be heard by the Samedi Court. 

Further, 3 hard-copy bundles (where 50 pages or less) must be filed with the Bailiff’s Chambers for the attention of the Court.  Bundles consisting of 50 pages or more must be uploaded onto Caselines by liaising with JGR Case Lines (JGRCaseLines@courts.je).

The original Representation with a payment receipt attached should be filed with the Judicial Greffe for the attention of the Samedi Section. Information regarding the payment of court fees can be found here Court fees - Courts.je.

If an ex-parte Representation is filed after 5:00 pm Tuesday, subject to the sitting Judge’s view, the application will be deferred to the next sitting of the Samedi Court.  Please note that details of Ex-Parte Representations are not published on Court listings - Courts.je.

All applications for inclusion on the Table must be filed at the Judicial Greffe reception by no later than 12:00 pm on Thursday of the week they to be heard by the Samedi Court.  A hard copy of each application with a payment receipt attached should be filed. All applications must be marked for the attention of the Samedi Section. 

Please note that all matters on the Table will be listed on Court listings - Courts.je - “Forthcoming” (no later than 3:00 pm on Thursday) and “Results” (no later than12:00 pm the following Monday) sections.

Counsel should ensure that they bring 3 copies of the Tabled application to the Samedi Court for the presiding Judge and Jurats

Under the terms of the Legal Aid Scheme, the Capital and Income Limits, in respect of eligibility for Legal Aid, are adjusted on an annual basis, in line with changes to the Median Average Earnings, as detailed in the Government's Average Earnings Report as at June each year.

As a consequence of the reported Median Average Earnings for Full Time Employees increasing to £890 per week (from £850 per week in 2024), with effect from 1 January 2026, the relevant capital and income thresholds will be amended as follows:

Capital Limit (Individual)

Public Law (Criminal / Human Rights) £70,000
Private Law (Family / Civil matters) £70,000

Income Limit (Individual)

Public Law (Criminal / Human Rights) £70,000
Private Law (Family / Civil matters) £47,000

Applicants have to satisfy both the capital and income tests in a qualifying area of law to be granted Legal Aid. Legal Aid will not be granted where the capital and/or income limits are exceeded.

Revenue Jersey has requested that the Law Society bring to the attention of the profession the statement of the Comptroller set out below (in relation to the application of Land Transaction Tax (LTT) to the purchase of parking spaces via shares).

The statement is made because there have been a number of approaches to Revenue Jersey by firms on this topic, and it is hoped that this statement will bring some consistency, without the need to take what are generally cases involving low values to an appeal to seek clarity.

Application of the LTT Law to the purchase of shares giving rights to parking spaces.

[This statement applies where parking spaces are acquired other than as part of the acquisition of other share transfer property (in which case please read the statement  ‘Acquiring share transfer property associated with parking and other land’ in Land transaction tax concessions and practice)]

Where the rights to a specific parking space(s) is acquired via the rights attached to a share(s) by virtue of the articles of association of a company, then the Comptroller is clear that a liability to LTT will arise.

A parking space as described in this statement will not attract the 3% non-main residence rate, and as such the Comptroller for clarity will accept the use of Table A (Non-domestic) for all these transactions.

The Comptroller also expects that any securities in relation to the shares covered by the statement will be subject to LTT.

The statement is valid for any transactions on or after the 8 December 2025.

Revenue Jersey has come across a number of instances where law firms with associated service companies are not fully complying with the requirements under the Goods and Services Tax (Jersey) Law 2007.

In particular, Revenue Jersey has noted that that whilst the law firm itself may be registered for GST, the service company may not be, despite the fact it is required to do so if its turnover breaches the threshold amount (currently £300,000).

This leads to subsequent errors in declarations and returns. The Comptroller is of the opinion that this situation would in some circumstances create significant risks for both the firm and public purse.

The Comptroller urges firms to review their position in relation to GST, especially as to whether they have the necessary registrations. If there are issues, his officers are available to help, please email GST@gov.je.

With the election approaching next June, the States Greffe is keen for all Islanders to learn more about Jersey’s political system and the electoral process.

With this in mind, they would like to offer two initiatives to members of the Law Society:

Tour the States Chamber

This informative behind-the-scenes tour of the States Chamber is offered by the team at the States Greffe. The tour covers the inner workings of the States Assembly and how decisions are made that impact you and your colleagues both personally and professionally.  This informal tour usually takes an hour, with the opportunity to ask questions throughout.

Tours are slotted in around States Assembly meetings and staff availability. Ideally, the States Greffe would suggest a minimum of 10 participants, but we are used to accommodating larger groups of up to 25 or more.

In-Person Lunch and Learn: Your States Assembly and Voting in Jersey

This 30-minute in-person lunch and learn session gives participants the opportunity to learn more about Jersey’s political system and how the electoral process works, including the who, what, where and how of voting in 2026. The session includes a 20-minute presentation, followed by a 10-minute Q&A. Please note the length and nature of this session can be adapted if required.

If you would like to discuss either of these initiatives further, please contact Mrs Heidi Whitehead, Education and Outreach Officer, States Greffe, by email at h.whitehead3@gov.je.

We know that parenting after separation can feel overwhelming at times.

That’s why the Children and Families Hub have teamed up with the Jersey Family Court Advisory Service (JFCAS) to offer free, confidential one-to-one appointments for parents and carers.

What JFCAS can do:

• Listen and talk through the challenges of co-parenting
• Share options to help you move forward as a separated family
• Offer advice on creating safe, child-focused arrangements
• Explain how children’s needs are considered in Family Court proceedings

What JFCAS can’t do:

• Provide legal advice
• Take on casework outside of Family Court
• Make decisions for you - but they will help you explore your choices.
• These sessions are a chance to get clear, independent advice to help you make the best decisions for your children and your family.

To book 1:1 sessions, which take place on the last Friday of each month, go to Eventbrite.

Practitioners will find the latest news and events published by the Jersey Financial Services Commission here.

Latest news includes:

• a consultation detailing proposed updates to the guidelines on Interpretation of Article 36 of the Proceeds of Crime (Jersey) Law 1999, intended to address areas of improvement highlighted by industry feedback. Please note that responses to this consultation should be submitted by 30 January 2026,
• Insights shared at the SIFS Fifth Economic Crime and Compliance Symposium,
• Feedback published by the JFSC from their conflicts of interest thematic examination,
• Feedback on criminal background checks and follow-on consultations on AML/CFT/CPF Handbook enhancements and on complex structures, and
• a consultation on, and the JFSC's interim approach to, the civil financial penalties regime.

Practitioners are advised that the first Samedi Court sitting of 2026 will be on:

📅  Friday 2 January 2026.

Advance notice is given that next year's Assise d’Héritage will be held on Friday 18 September 2026.

As advocates will be expected to renew their oath at the Assise d’Héritage, they are respectfully requested to 'save the date'.

The Law Society's Annual Dinner which celebrates the Opening of the Legal Year will again be held on the same day as the Assise d’Héritage, on Friday 18 September 2026.

The dinner will again be held at L'Horizon Hotel, St Brelade.

Members are requested to 'save the date'.

LinkedIn newsletter - it’s the most wonderfully uncertain time of the year: Andy Darnton reflects on the pressure and stresses that often build in the run-up to the festive season, and why this familiar rush can take such a toll on people working in the legal sector.

Learning to listen differently: my experience with APD
Alex, an IP lawyer, shares what it’s like to live and work with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) and how it affects communication in the legal sector. They also offer simple tips to support colleagues with APD and help create more inclusive workplaces.

Festive season survival tips: If you’re finding it hard to switch off over the festive season, we have some survival tips to help you take a real break and look after your wellbeing.

Research opportunity: Terri (Taz) Brookes, a PhD candidate at Birkbeck, University of London, is researching exploring how neurodiversity, anti-discrimination law, and inclusion intersect across the UK’s legal profession, education, and justice system. Terri would love to hear from legal professionals, law students, litigants, and academics with experience of neurodiversity in the UK legal field. Neurodiverse participants from minority ethnic, faith, or culturally diverse backgrounds are particularly encouraged to get involved.

The Government of Jersey, through its Building a Safer Community, BASC, initiative, is proud to announce the launch of the Safe Places Scheme, a community-driven effort to create a network of safe, welcoming locations across the Island for anyone feeling vulnerable, intimidated, or at risk.

From banks and cafés to Parish Halls and sports clubs, businesses and organisations across Jersey are invited to register as ‘Safe Places’, offering refuge and support to those in need.

Further details can be found here, including links to help businesses and organisations interested in becoming a Safe Place.

The Jersey Institute of Law would like to thank all of the Jersey lawyers who give, and have given, their time and expertise to support access to legal knowledge and education in the Island.

The Institute would like to encourage applications from all legal professionals who are interested in teaching law. This may be as a lecturer, mentor, or adjunct teacher on a range of courses from LL.B level to the Jersey Law Course.

The Institute would be particularly keen to hear from members of the profession willing and able to teach either of the following:

1. Contract (Mistake, Misrepresentation, Duress, Enforcement, Breach, Frustration, Damages, Equitable Remedies) 8 weeks of teaching from w/c 6th January Wednesdays 3.00 - 4.30pm Thursdays 1.30 - 2.30pm; and

2. Legal System (Judicial appointments and diversity, civil justice system, access to civil justice and Legal Aid, ADR) 4 weeks of teaching from w/c 6th January Mondays 1.30 - 3.00pm and Tuesdays 1.00 - 2.00pm.

If this is of interest, please contact Advocate Claire Davies via email (administration@iol.ac.je) to discuss the options available.

Highlands Professional, the career development branch of Highlands College, is offering a new suite of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshops to maximise the potential of you and your team.

Designed for anyone wishing to update, refresh and evidence valuable CPD hours, each workshop is delivered by experienced trainers and will be highly interactive, using a range of techniques to suit all learners.

Bespoke CPD training workshops are also available on request.

Brochures can be obtained here.

The Law Society has not considered whether the CPD activities offered by Highlands Professional are, and does not endorse such CPD activities as, appropriate for members. Members are reminded that any CPD activity, whether formal or informal, should be planned wherever possible and be relevant to their role or specialism. Any activity that does not have a clear learning objective that relates to their role and specialism cannot be considered as appropriate CPD.

The 2026 IBA Annual Conference will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark on 4 - 9 October 2026.

What will IBA 2026 offer you?

• Access 5,000+ attendees representing over 2,700 law firms, corporations, governments and regulators from more than 130 jurisdictions
• Opportunities to win more work and referrals at the world’s best networking and business development event for lawyers and law firms
• Save time and money by meeting all your legal contacts under one roof
• Hear from leading international figures, government officials, general counsel and experts from across all practice areas and continents
• Expand your professional network and meet legal professionals and practitioners from around the world
• Participate in sessions that offer practical strategies and tools to apply directly to your practice

Further details can be found here.

The Judicial Greffe is seeking to recruit an Assistant Judicial Greffier, Appellate and Samedi.

Job Overview

The Assistant Judicial Greffier of the Royal Court and Court of Appeal plays a pivotal role in delivering effective and efficient justice to the Island. Reporting directly to the Judicial Greffier the post-holder is a key member of the Judicial Greffe's Leadership Team and leads the Samedi division of the Royal Court.

This is a broad-banded role (Grade 12 - 13) dependent on the level of knowledge and directly relevant experience. The grade is under review.

For an informal chat about this role please contact Stephanie Peat on this email S.Peat@courts.je.

For further information and to apply, click here.

Job Purpose

Please find a full job description here.

Competencies

Please find the full competencies required for the role here.

Job Title: Assistant Judicial Greffier Appellate and Samedi

Post requires candidate to be entitled for work: Yes

Salary Range: £83,790.38  to £96,007.23

Contract Type: Permanent

Full time/Part Time: Full Time

Term Time only post: No

Closing Date: 31/12/2025

Are you looking for that next job on the legal career ladder?

Click Legal Vacancies to see the latest job adverts.

Individuals who are looking for that next Legal career move can also register to receive details of the latest vacancies as soon as they become available. Go to the Legal Vacancies page and click on the 'Subscribe' button under the heading "Subscribe to job alerts" and follow the instructions.

If your firm wishes to advertise any vacancies, please send the following information to Jonathan Bale at manager@jerseylawsociety.je:

• the job or role title - with a brief description of the role
• the term - whether Full Time / Part Time / Contract
• a job description (if available)
• details of the remuneration package (or indicate as Negotiable or Market Rate)
• when the role is available from
• how to apply
• the name and contact details for a contact point for condidates to request further details
• the closing date for applications (if any)

Please include a small image file of the firm's latest logo in the email.

Advertising of vacancies for law firms is currently free of charge.

To discuss any aspect of advertising your vacancy, please call Jonathan Bale on 01534 613950.

Should you wish to submit anything for publication in the Law Society's Directions newsletter, please write in the first instance to Jonathan Bale at manager@jerseylawsociety.je.

Details of forthcoming events which are relevant to the legal profession should be sent to Jonathan Bale at manager@jerseylawsociety.je.

Directions is published fortnightly on a Friday, with a copy deadline of the preceding Wednesday.