ABSTRACT
Thirty years ago the judiciary was a largely self-selecting, self-regulating and self-taught body which operated within its own informal rules almost entirely free of external scrutiny. This degree of insulation was relatively uncontroversial at a time when judges enjoyed high status and exercised limited power. Today, the work of the judiciary directly or indirectly affects the lives of more people than ever before and as its influence has grown, so have the criticisms of its closed structures and working practices. The consequence of this pressure for change has been that the elitism, secrecy and amateurism which were traditionally the hallmarks of the judiciary are slowly being replaced by diversification, openness and professionalism.
