Kalisher Essay Competition 2025 – Winner and runner-up announced
The Trust is delighted to announce that Joshua Clements, a pupil at 23ES, is the winner of the Trust’s 2025 Essay competition. Anjelica Smerin, a pupil at Mountford Chambers received the runner up prize.
Joshua and Anjelica submitted outstanding essays, in a high-quality field of entries, which continues to be a very popular part of the Trust’s support for under-represented groups seeking a career at the criminal Bar. Our annual essay competition is open to any pupil undertaking a criminal pupillage, those who are undertaking the BPTC and those who have completed the BPTC and are awaiting / applying for pupillage. All entries are assessed anonymously by a panel drawn from the Trust.
The entrants were asked to respond to this essay question:
“The backlog of Crown Court cases serves no one. You are advising the Government as to what measures would alleviate if not remove the problem once and for all. You are to assume this to be achieved within current funding constraints.
Is jury trial to be abolished in a particular class of case/s?
If so, would that require justices to be given greater sentencing powers?
Importantly you must advise whether any reforms would likely lead to challenge on human rights grounds.
Would removing legal aid to bring a challenge be an option or might that result in a challenge on its own right?
You should identify any other proposals and advise whether they would survive judicial scrutiny.”
The judging panel commented on Joshua’s entry as follows:
“Very well researched piece of work. Their analysis was excellent and well reasoned. Importantly, this candidate met the ‘brief’, which was to provide advice to the government.”
Reflecting on his achievement, Joshua said:
“I am immensely grateful to have been chosen as the winner of the Kalisher Trust Essay Competition 2025.
This year’s essay question dealt with alleviating the record backlog of Crown Court cases, an issue that continues to be of paramount significance to every member of the criminal bar and indeed to anyone concerned with the ongoing crisis in the criminal justice system. I greatly appreciated the opportunity to offer my thoughts on this important topic.
Winning this competition is a huge boost to my confidence as I start on my feet in second six and beyond.
My sincere thanks to the Kalisher Trust for the generous prize and to the panel for their positive and thoughtful feedback. I wish the Trust all the best in their noble goal of improving access to the criminal bar for people from all walks of life and hope to be more involved in that mission going forward.”
Congratulations Joshua and Anjelica! Thank you to all those who entered this year’s competition and to our panel of Trustees / Senior Counsel Group members who assessed each entry.
The winning entry from Joshua can be found here: Joshua Clements – Kalisher 2025 essay entry
