Ministry of Justice UK
Legal Officer (Ref: 20506)
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Job Summary
Please refer to Job Description
Job Description
Proud to serve. Proud to keep justice going.
Our Legal Officers play a critical role in helping deliver justice. If you’re intent on serving the public by delivering excellent service, and are enthusiastic about working with the judiciary, then this role gives you the opportunity to play a pivotal role within HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS).
About Us
Part of HMCTS, the Tribunals Directorate is responsible for the effective administration of Tribunals in England and Wales and non-devolved Tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We work with an independent judiciary across a wide range of jurisdictions to provide a fair, efficient and effective justice system.
Information Session
We will be holding a Microsoft Teams Webinar on Monday 3rd August at 2pm.
This drop-in session is an opportunity for candidates to discuss the role in more detail.
If you wish to attend, please click onto the following Teams link only at the date and time given above -
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/391705737658350?p=nOL4cnHh3agF9EgMGS
If you experience any difficulties with this Teams link, please email Richard Metcalf directly: Richard.Metcalf@justice.gov.uk
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing more about this exciting opportunity.
Your role
Working within a Regional Hearing Centre (RHC), you will support the effective administration of Tribunals business on a national scale by undertaking a range of complex case work and assessment activity in order to determine how best to advance caseloads and remove any barriers to effective and timely case progression.
Working independently with the support of a wider team, you will make informed decisions on how best to process appeals allowing all better access to justice. Under the supervision of a Senior Legal Officer and leadership judiciary, the Legal Officer will make case management decisions as part of their delegated judicial powers. A Legal Officer will liaise with key stakeholders and HMCTS colleagues to ensure the effective administration of justice.
This Legal Officer role will be based in the Employment Tribunal.
We would like to highlight that these are office-based positions, and the successful candidates will be expected to attend the office in person.
About You
Are you able to reflect on an issue and take an informed and impartial approach to your work, making evidence-based decisions? If you do, this varied and challenging role is for you.
A confident communicator and decision maker, you will use your skills and abilities to effectively work and engage with all court users. You’ll understand the importance of impartial decision making, and the need to understand a wide range of information at pace. You’ll have the ability to communicate with multiple levels of stakeholders internal and external to the Tribunal, with varying communication methods and the ability to adapt your communication to your audience.
For a full job description, please read supporting document and candidate pack included below before applying.
Experience
A law degree or equivalent technical experience is desirable.
The Equivalent Technical Experience Has Been Defined As:
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“The demonstration of a transferable decision-making aptitude, working within a set framework or guidance and previous precedents, under a form of supervision”
Technical – Locational Preference - this will not be assessed
There are 14 roles available. Please list your location preferences in ranked order (1st, 2nd and 3rd). If you are only interested in one role or location, please state a single preference. Only select locations you are genuinely prepared to travel to and work from daily. While you may choose your preferences, if you are offered a role in any of your stated locations (for example, your 2nd or 3rd choice), you will not be able to decline it and remain on the merit list for a higher preference. Appointments will be made in merit list order for each role, based on the preferences you have selected.
Locations
- 2 roles at Newcastle Civil & Family Courts and Tribunals Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QF.
- 2 roles at Leeds Employment Tribunal, West Gate, 6 Grace Street, Leeds LS1 2RP.
- 3 roles at Manchester Employment Tribunal, Alexandra House, 14-22 The Parsonage, Manchester, M3 2JA.
- 1 role at Midlands (West) Employment Tribunal. Centre City Tower, 5-7 Hill Street, Birmingham, B5 4UU.
- 1 role at Midlands (East) Employment Tribunal Nottingham Justice Centre, Carrington Street, Nottingham, NG2 1EE.
- 3 roles at Southwest Regional Employment Tribunal. Bristol Civil and Family Justice Centre. 2 Redcliff Street, Bristol BS1 6GR.
- 2 roles at Wales (Cardiff) Employment Tribunal. 3rd Floor, Cardiff and the Vale Magistrates Court, Fitzalan Place, Cardiff, CF24 0RZ
Travel to other centres may be required on occasions dependent upon business needs.
Base Location and Reserve list information
It is important to note that whilst you may select up to three preferences, you should only indicate locations where you are prepared to travel to and work from every day. If you are offered a role in one of your stated location preferences (for example, your 2nd or 3rd choice), you will not be able to decline this and remain on the merit list for a higher preference. Or if you are offered a role in any one of your stated preferences and decline it, you will be removed from the reserve list for all your preferences.
We will be allocating roles and base locations using your selected preference location/s. We will appoint in merit list order for each location outlined in the vacancy.
After appointments have been made using this locational appointment process, any remaining candidates who met the benchmark for the role will be placed on a reserve list, based on your selected preferences. This will be for a period of 12 months in the event of a similar opportunity arising in one of these locations.
Introductory Training
All successful candidates will be expected to attend a 2-day introductory training course at a date and time to be advised.
Interview Schedule Notice
Interviews are scheduled to take place in late August/early September 2026. Please note that rescheduling will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, and any rearrangements must still occur within the interview period.
Further Information
New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.
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These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. Non-contractual hybrid working may be available, but we cannot facilitate requests for a particular work from home/working in the office schedule.
Working Pattern
The roles are offered on a full-time basis. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week Monday to Friday. However, requests for part-time/reduced hours working will be considered at the point of provisional offer, subject to meeting business requirements within the relevant business area in accordance with the MoJ’s Flexible Working policy.
Skilled Worker Visa
From 22 July 2025, the Government increased the salary threshold and skills level for Skilled Worker visas. This role does not meet the eligibility criteria for sponsorship in accordance with the current immigration rules if you looking to apply for a Skilled Worker Visa for the first time.
The Department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously since before 22 July 2025. If you have held a Skilled Worker visa continuously, please raise this during your vetting checks and eligibility will be assessed in accordance with the immigration rules and transitional provisions in place.
If you are applying for this role and you do not meet the new eligibility criteria for sponsorship (or the transitional provisions), you will need to consider your options for obtaining and/or maintaining your right to work in the UK in light of these changes. Successful applicants must ensure they have and maintain the legal right to live and work in the Civil Service and in the United Kingdom.
The Department will continue to comply with UK Immigration Rules applied in the UK and Civil Service. You can read more about Skilled Worker visas and the eligibility criteria here.
Technical Skills
Technical 2
Legal scenario will be given at interview as part of the assessment A law degree or equivalent technical experience is desirable. The equivalent technical experience has been defined as: “The demonstration of a transferable decision-making aptitude, working within a set framework or guidance and previous precedents, under a form of supervision”
Person specification
Please Refer To Job Description
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Locational Preference - this will not be assessed.
- Please refer to the Job Description
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £35,335, HM Courts and Tribunals Service contributes £10,236 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
- Access to learning and development
- A working environment that supports a range of flexible working options to enhance your work life balance
- A working culture which encourages inclusion and
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