out of 350 student magistrates trained, almost half are in retraining

The National School of Magistracy (ENM) in Bordeaux is the compulsory route for all future judges and prosecutors in France. It trains around 350 students each year. Law students, but also more and more professionals in retraining. All are selected based on their human qualities.

“It is a secure school, the public trained here may be threatened. We have security gates, agents, airlocks… It's the least we can do to ensure that classes go well.” explains Henri-Pierre Godey, in charge of communications at the National School of Magistracy (ENM) in Bordeaux. Here, 350 students are trained each year for the role of magistrate.

On this Saturday, January 11, the National School of Magistracy, attached to the Bordeaux judicial court, is preparing to receive 1,200 visitors on the occasion of one of its rare days open to the public. “The ENM opened in 1958 and this is only the second open day that we have organized, apart from the heritage days in September“, indicates Violaine Frumin, training coordinator, delighted to see the interest aroused by the world of justice.

With these open doors, the coordinator hopes to break down some stubborn prejudices. “The world of justice is opening more and more outward to combat this image of an inaccessible ivory tower, she admits. We want to renew the bond of trust with citizens, which unfortunately is crumbling. We hope to transform distrust into trust.”

In the corridors, high school students, law students and professionals from all backgrounds interact with men and women in black clothes. Many have traveled hundreds of kilometers to discover this prestigious school that they dream of joining. If they pass the competition, they are guaranteed to later work as a judge or prosecutor in one of the 200 French courts.

Also read: PORTRAIT. “People can no longer stand authority”: who is Frédérique Porterie, the prosecutor who dedicated her life to justice?

Nearly 3,000 people attempt the famous entrance exam each year, renowned for being one of the most difficult in France. It has a success rate of just over 10%.

An obstacle that Julia, a controller at SNCF for fifteen years, intends to overcome. “I always wanted to go into law and three years ago, when my second child was born, I said to myself, now is the time, explains the thirty-year-old. I resumed my studiess, my license is validated, and there, I am in master 1 and I am preparing the competition for the month of June.”

It's something that has always haunted me, that I always wanted to do, but that I put aside by saying to myself, I have a job, I have a situation, do I have the level for ?

Julia

SNCF controller undergoing retraining

Another applicant for retraining, Emma, ​​is currently a lawyer in the real estate sector. “I have a doctorate in public law, I did a little teaching then I got tired of it and I took a job as a lawyer”, she explains.

Now I feel the need to give meaning to my work.

Emma

Real estate lawyer

Like Julia, she wanted to be present today to see this future profession from the inside. “Intellectually, magistrates are never bored” imagine-t-elle.

If these women's dream seems achievable, it is because they are far from being the only ones who want to make justice their second life. Nearly half of the student magistrates, called justice auditors, come from the professional world. “It is a real wealth for justice, assures Violaine Fruminthey bring their knowledge, their knowledge, their experiences“.

During this open day, several justice auditors undergoing retraining came to testify about their journey and encourage vocations. “For my part, before joining the school, I was a company manager for several years“, a student tells Clara, a 43-year-old woman, tempted by this change of life.”I took the competition reserved for professionals and I was accepted”, he confides. A journey that seems to light a flame of hope in the eyes of the forty-year-old. “Yes, it's now or never, she admits. When I was younger, I should have followed my dreams. Today, my daughter is 13, I have a life, I am established. I've been wondering about my career change for a while now. There, you shouldn't miss it“.

A little further on, another exchange begins with a candidate steeped in doubts. “Do you have the choice of being a dispute judge rather than a sentence enforcement judge?“, she worries. The answer quickly reassures the young woman. “Of course, everyone orients their career according to their choices, to what suits them.” explains a listener. “There is a great diversity of functions in the judiciary, and quite a few internships during studies which allow you to realize the reality of each position“.

To enter this prestigious school, students are selected on their knowledge of law, their good understanding of the contemporary world, but also on their personality. “Is everyone capable of judging?” Violaine Frumin is asked. “Cclearly, no“, she answers without any hesitation.

To judge means to decide, to decide. This is what litigants expect and it is a very heavy responsibility.

Violaine Frumin

Training coordinator at ENM

Another essential point, interpersonal skills. A quality absent from CVs which nevertheless weighs heavily in the balance. “The admission criteria relate as much to know-how as to soft skills and organizational knowledge, continues the training coordinator. For us, it is of equal importance. We will learn how to hold requisitions, hold a hearing and also know how to talk to people, know how to explain what we do and know how to listen to them.

A legal technician who does not have this concern for welcoming litigants, listening, understanding, will be a bad magistrate.

Violaine Frumin

Coordinator of student training at ENM

This year, the class of 2024 included 353 justice auditors, 76% of whom were women. The average age of these students is around 28 years old. Registrations for the next competition will open on January 20.