Court Legal Adviser

Typical Salary

£20,500 To £43,000

Typical Hours

35 to 40 a week

9am to 5pm

How To Become a Court Legal Adviser

You can get into this job through:

working towards this role
applying directly

College / University

Apprenticeship

Apprenticeship are not listed for this job.

Routes into this Career

You may be able to start as a trainee legal adviser if you've passed the academic training stages to qualify as a solicitor or barrister. You can find out more about this from The Law Society.

As a trainee, you would complete the Judicial College Legal Adviser Induction Training Programme. This can take around 2 years.

You can apply directly for jobs if you've got some of the relevant experience and knowledge needed for this role.

You'll usually need to be a fully qualified solicitor, and have experience as a magistrate. Employers may also look for customer service and administration skills.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
knowledge of English language
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
analytical thinking skills
excellent verbal communication skills
the ability to read English
the ability to use your initiative
the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

In this role you could be:

managing court schedules to make the best use of time and resources
preparing for court sessions and making sure evidence is ready
advising magistrates on the law and procedures
making sure defendants understand how the court works
reading charges to the court
identifying and researching legal issues during hearings
helping with the decision-making process using a formal method
training administrative staff and magistrates

Working Environment

You could work in a court or in an office.

Career Path & Progression

The legal adviser career structure has 5 levels, known as tiers. On any tier, you could become a mentor. To move up, you'll need to prove your ability in your current role.

With 5 years' experience, you could become a deputy district judge or district judge (magistrates' courts). With more experience, you could become a justices' clerk (running several courts).

You could also apply for legal and non-legal secondments within the wider departments of Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), the Ministry of Justice and other government agencies.

Another option is to move into private practice as a solicitor or barrister, or join the Crown Prosecution Service as a crown prosecutor or crown advocate.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Further information

The Bar Council and The Law Society have more information about legal careers and training.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass enhanced background checks