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- Advise magistrates and district judges about the law
- Requires objectivity and logic, and the ability to explain complex laws and procedures
- With further experience, option to become a Justices' Clerk or a district judge
As a Court legal adviser your day-to-day tasks could include 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 and training administrative staff and magistrates.
You'll be employed by Her Majesty's Courts & Tribunals Service to work in magistrates' courts. You may need to work from several courts in an area.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- 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
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You'll be employed by Her Majesty's Courts & Tribunals Service to work in magistrates' courts. You may need to work from several courts in an area.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone who is already a fully qualified solicitor or barrister who has excellent verbal communication skills, analytical thinking and logic and reasoning.
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.
You may also be able to start as a trainee legal adviser if you've passed the academic training stages to qualify as a solicitor or barrister. As a trainee, you would complete the Judicial College Legal Adviser Induction Training Programme which can take around 2 years.
CAREER PROSPECTS
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.