Legal Traineeship National

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.

Applicants must have completed, or be able to evidence completion prior to the traineeship start date, of:

A Scots Law LLB (or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Law Society of Scotland -Qualifying as a Scottish solicitor , Law Society of Scotland);

A Diploma in Professional Legal Practice

An Entrance Certificate from the Law Society of Scotland

Applicants who have qualified, or are qualifying, through an alternative route approved by the Law Society of Scotland will be considered: Alternatives to university , Law Society of Scotland

Other Experience criteria:

• Analysis of information, identifying key issues and reaching evidence-based conclusions
• Ability to communicate clearly, confidently, and respectfully both verbally and in writing and across a range of audiences from defence agents and the Police to members of the public, victims and witnesses of crime
• Managing competing priorities and delivering work to deadlines
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team within busy, dynamic, and challenging environments
• Adapting to changing circumstances and learning new skills or knowledge

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)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

See Application Pack for details.

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