GENERAL INFORMATION

Salary
£35,335 - £37,847
Working Pattern
Full Time
Vacancy Approach
External
Location
Canterbury, Chatham
Region
South East
Closing Date
23-Sep-2025
Post Type
Permanent
Civil Service Grade

DESCRIPTIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Job description

LEARN NEW LEGAL SKILLS AS YOU DEVELOP YOUR CAREER

When you join us as a trainee legal adviser, you’ll quickly discover that this isn’t your normal 9 to 5 role, as no two days are the same.
You’ll learn new skills every day as you work at pace in a fast-moving, fluid environment, and help to keep the courts running smoothly and efficiently. Working on everything from minor motoring offences to serious crimes, you’ll be supported and mentored throughout your two-year training period. Once you’ve completed this, you’ll then have the opportunity to further develop your legal career within HMCTS.

WORK AS THE QUALIFIED, PROFESSIONAL FACE OF THE COURTS

Rather than acting for a client you’ll be offering impartial and objective legal advice, so you’ll need to be passionate about the law and the issues that must be considered when magistrates are delivering judgments and sentences.
Helping to conduct case management hearings will be another key part of your role, as will liaising with outside agencies who are involved in specialist court work. Once you’re qualified, you’ll act as the professional face of the court, so we’ll expect you to work with integrity, empathy and understanding, and ensure that everyone who attends is treated with humanity and respect at all times.

APPLY ALL YOUR SKILLS AS YOU INCREASE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW

In addition to your academic qualifications and excellent communication skills, you’ll be committed to increasing and maintaining your knowledge of the law. Open, approachable, professional and supportive, we’ll expect you to have excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to think on your feet in a busy court. Important decisions will be made, and these can have a profound effect on the people who come to court, so you’ll be confident, impartial and capable of considering a wide range of risks and implications. Flexible and adaptable, and with a high degree of personal responsibility, t are times when you’ll be faced with challenging situations. With this in mind you’ll be resilient and remain calm under pressure and have a diplomatic and tactful approach to everyone you work with.
This is an office based/court based frontline role. You’ll be allocated to your work base location that has been agreed between yourself and line manager as part of the recruitment process.
You’ll be expected to spend the duration of your training at your agreed base location to fulfil the demands of the training and the business needs in that location.
All our employees have to be security cleared before being appointed so you’ll undergo a vetting process if your application is successful.

QUALIFICATIONS

All candidates must be able to provide proof of qualification at the point of offer in order to progress their application. Candidates can apply for the role without final qualification, but certification will need to be uploaded before a final offer can be made.
Additional Information

JOB DESCRIPTION ATTACHMENT

• 
  Trainee Legal Adviser FAQs .docx (Job Description Supporting Documents)
• 
  Trainee Legal Adviser - Attraction Pack.pdf (Job Description Supporting Documents 2)
• 
  Trainee Legal Adviser Role profile Jan 25.pdf (Job Description Attachment)

EXPERIENCE

We will assess your experience for this role via the following methods
Statement of Suitability

You’re an excellent communicator with the ability to inspire confidence in everyone you work with and the self-assurance to speak in court. You’ve passed the academic stage of qualification to become a barrister or solicitor in England or Wales, or you’re a graduate member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. You’re enthusiastic about the responsibility that comes with being on the front line of the justice system. And now you’re ready to take your career to the next level and make a positive difference to society and the communities we live in.
Our work at HMCTS is vitally important to the smooth running of a fair, accessible and efficient justice system, as we are responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Right now, we’re looking for trainee legal advisers to join our exceptional legal team and develop the skills to provide magistrates with advice on points of law, practice and procedure, and assist with the formulation and drafting of the reasons behind their judgments.