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Court legal adviser

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

Court legal advisers are lawyers who give advice about the law to magistrates and judges.

Average salary (a year)

£32,000 Starter

to

£45,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

35 to 40 a week

You could work

9am to 5pm

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become 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. To apply, you need to have passed the academic stages of solicitor or barrister training.

As a trainee, you'll complete a training programme that takes around 2 years.

You can find out more about how to start a career as a trainee legal adviser from:

Direct Application

You can apply directly for jobs if you're a fully qualified solicitor and have experience as a magistrate.

You may also need to show customer service and administration skills.

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:

  • organise court hearings
  • make sure evidence is ready for court
  • give advice to magistrates on the law
  • make sure people in court understand what's happening
  • research legal issues
  • help make decisions
  • train admin 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

Tiers of legal advisers

There are 5 levels of legal advisers known as tiers. To move up a tier you have to prove that you can do your job well.

You can become a mentor to help other legal advisers move to the next tier.

Similar roles

You've also got the option to become a:

If you have 5 years of experience, you could become a judge in a magistrates court or become a justice's clerk.

Government agencies

Once you have some experience, you may like to work for a government agency, such as HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) or the Ministry of Justice.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Solicitor Apprenticeship 2025

  • Wage: £27,000 a year Annually
  • Location: London

L7 Solicitor Apprentice (Watson Farley & Williams LLP)

  • Wage: £26,000 a year Annually
  • Location: London
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

CILEX Certificate for Legal Secretaries Certificate 2

  • Provider: The Manchester College
  • Start date: 08 September 2025
  • Location: Manchester

Law and Practice, CILEx Level 3 Certificate / Diploma

  • Provider: WESTON COLLEGE OF FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION
  • Start date: 29 January 2025
  • Location: Weston-super-Mare
Find courses near you

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Speak to an adviser

You can call 0800 100 900 or use webchat to speak to an adviser.

We're open:

  • 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday
  • 10am to 5pm Saturdays and bank holidays

We're closed on Sundays, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

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