Legal Traineeship 2026/27

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 13th October 2024

 
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Details

Reference number

372073

Salary

£32,455 - £36,188
Year 1 - £32,455 rising to £36,188 in year 2.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade

Executive Officer
COPFS Trainee Solicitor (TS)

Contract type

Fixed term

Length of employment

2 years

Type of role

Legal Services

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

30

Contents

Scotland

Job summary

COPFS is offering a number of Legal Traineeships with anticipated start dates commencing: September 2026 and March 2027.

Job description

The COPFS Legal Traineeship offers a wide range of experience and opportunities in the public prosecution service in Scotland.  You will have the chance to work at Crown Office, which is COPFS’ Headquarters.  The traineeship will also involve successful candidates undertaking a range of responsibilities within the Procurator Fiscal’s offices throughout Scotland, including the preparation and presentation of cases in the Summary courts.  If you successfully complete the traineeship you may enrol as a qualified solicitor in Scotland. 

Trainees will have the opportunity to work in Procurator Fiscal’s offices throughout Scotland on rotation, flexibility around location is sought. You may also spend a proportion of the traineeship working within another government agency. 

Your first seat will most likely be based in Edinburgh, with your following seats likely to become available in the following locations:

Edinburgh

Livingston

Dundee

Falkirk

Kirkcaldy

Perth

Aberdeen

Inverness

Dumbarton

Paisley

Kilmarnock

Glasgow

Airdrie

Hamilton 

You will be asked to provide your location preferences in order of merit during the recruitment process.  Please note that while efforts will be made to consider preferences, there is no guarantee that you will be given a seat in your preferred location as this is based on business need.  You may be asked to relocate or travel to any of the offices listed and should be willing to work in any of the above offices.

Person specification

Applicants will be required to have the following completed prior to the traineeship start date:

  • a Scots Law LLB (or an equivalent Honours Degree in other subjects, combined with a degree in Scots Law)
  • a valid diploma in Legal Practice obtained from a Scottish university
  • an Entrance Certificate from the Law Society of Scotland
Alongside your salary of £32,455, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service contributes £9,402 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We offer an excellent range of benefits which include:

  • Generous Civil Service Pension employer contribution, on average over 28.97% of your pay.
  • 25 days paid holiday + 11.5 public and privilege holidays (rising to 30 days paid holiday after 4 years).
  • Flexible working hours and family friendly approach to work.
  • Cycle to Work Scheme and Season Ticket Loans.
  • Employee Wellbeing Support with Mental Health First Aiders and access to an Employee Assistance Programme.

Selection process details

Please download an application pack from our website 'Current Vacancies' page.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

  • UK nationals
  • nationals of the Republic of Ireland
  • nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
  • nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
  • individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
  • Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

  • Name : Recruitment
  • Email : Recruitment@copfs.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : Recruitment@copfs.gov.uk
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