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Court legal adviser

Alternative titles for this job include Court clerk, assistant to justices' clerk

Court legal advisers are trained lawyers who advise magistrates and district judges about the law.

Average salary (a year)

£21,000 Starter

to

£31,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

35 to 40 a week

You could work

9am to 5pm

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How to become

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How to become a court legal adviser

You can get into this job through:

  • working towards this role
  • applying directly

Work

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.

Direct Application

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.

More Information

Further information

Find out more about how to start a career as a trainee legal adviser.

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

 

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • persistence and determination
  • analytical thinking skills
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
  • concentration skills
  • the ability to learn through your work
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In this role you could:

  • manage court schedules to make the best use of time and resources
  • prepare for court sessions and make sure evidence is ready
  • advise magistrates on the law and procedures
  • make sure defendants understand how the court works
  • read charges to the court
  • identify and research legal issues during hearings
  • help with the decision-making process using a formal method
  • train administrative staff and magistrates

Working environment

You could work in a court or in an office.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and 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.

Current opportunities

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Current opportunities

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  • Provider: UNIFIED SEEVIC PALMER'S COLLEGE
  • Start date: 01 September 2021
  • Location: GRAYS

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  • Start date: 06 January 2022
  • Location: Paignton
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