Legal Traineeship National

Legal Traineeships 2024/25

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)

COPFS is seeking enthusiastic candidates for our Legal Traineeship programme. 

COPFS is offering a number of Legal Traineeships with anticipated start dates commencing: September 2024 and March 2025.

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 Summery 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.

Working for COPFS

Starting Salary

Year 1 - £28,702 rising to £32,003 in year 2.

Our benefits

We offer an excellent range of benefits which include:

• Generous Civil Service Pension employer contribution, on average over 26% 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.

Eligibility

• 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 from a Scottish University,
• An Entrance Certificate from the Law Society of Scotland.

Criteria/Assessment

Candidates will be required to demonstrate judgement and competence throughout the assessment process.  This will include a presentation at the interview stage.

Full information on this post is available in the application pack

Closing date

Applications must be submitted by 11.55pm on 2^nd April 2023.

Other Information

Please also see our full application pack for the behavioural competences which are required for this role. Application packs are available to download from our website.  http://www.copfs.gov.uk/careers.

Selection will be competency based.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

If you require further information please email Recruitment@copfs.gov.uk

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has ongoing measures and guidance in its response to Covid-19 (Coronavirus), and would like to advise applicants that a decision has been taken that all interviews and any other discussions in the process will be conducted in a virtual/remote setting.

In order to facilitate this way of working, COPFS asks all applicants to ensure that they have a suitable space to participate in the virtual interview and discussions as well as access to a personal device of choice by which you can undertake the interview/assessment if selected. Please ensure that your personal Wi-Fi/Broadband capacity will be sufficient to carry both audio and video.

Please note that COPFS has exemptions from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974).

COPFS must also adhere to strict Civil Service and Cabinet Office Baseline Personnel Security Standards regarding nationality, identity and history verification rules.