About us
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is a Government Department within the Ministry of Justice that manages all the Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales. With over 1000 Legal Advisers nationally, we deal with approximately 95% of criminal cases, 60% of family cases and 70% of civil cases across England and Wales.
Our remit is wide, and our purpose vital. We’re committed to ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has access to justice.
“Justice and the rule of law are hallmarks of a civilised society. England & Wales has a system of justice of international renown, and our work is at the heart of that.
We are looking for committed, enthusiastic, and talented people who want to work within our justice system, in roles that offer unmatched variety, intellectual challenge, and professional development.”
– Tom Ring, Head of the Legal Profession
Working at the HMCTS
We are looking for dedicated and talented people to join HMCTS. We’re responsible for:
- Providing the supporting administration for a fair, efficient and accessible courts and tribunal system
- Supporting an independent judiciary in the administration of justice
- Driving improvements across all aspects of the administration of the courts and tribunals
- Collaborating effectively with other justice organisations and agencies, including the legal professions, to improve access to justice
- Working with government departments and agencies to improve the quality and timeliness of their decision-making, which will reduce the number of cases coming before courts and tribunals.
Start your HMCTS journey today by looking at the different range of roles we have within Legal Operations:
Legal adviser SEOLearning and Development
The continuous development of our people is what keeps us growing, progressing and moving forward. All of our people get access to comprehensive learning and development support – and we empower each and every one to grow in whatever way is best for them.
As a Trainee legal adviser (TLA), you’ll benefit from a minimum of two years of in-depth training. We partner with the Judicial College, and all of our Trainee legal advisers get access to their huge electronic library and learning resources. From essential legal knowledge, to courtroom, advice giving, and drafting skills, you’ll learn everything you need to know to begin a flourishing career as a Legal adviser.
The development doesn’t stop when the training ends. You’ll benefit from ongoing training in law, practice and procedure, and have the opportunity to develop wider skills such as mentoring, coaching, operational delivery or leadership.
We’re passionate about career development – you can choose from a number of training and development platforms to suit you best. Working with your manager, you’ll be given the support and time you need to complete the courses.
Top tips for applying
Thinking of applying to join us at the HMCTS? Here are some top tips to help you with the process.
HMCTS evaluates against the Success Profiles Framework which assesses the behaviours, strengths, and potential of candidates. You can find more information about Success Profiles at gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles.
The Civil Service is a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we want to help you demonstrate your full potential throughout the assessment process. Here’s a couple of tips to help you understand what to expect:
Behaviours can be assessed at both application and interview stage. When looking at behaviours, we want to get an understanding of the actions/activities you have undertaken in the past which could have resulted in a successful outcome.
Have examples prepared from both home and work life and demonstrate using the STAR approach. Outline the Situation, Task, Action you took and the Result of your work.
With each role, please read the job advert. The assessment criteria for each role will always be clearly indicated and this will help you with your application and interview.
Carefully review the role profile for the role you are applying for to fully understand how you can link in your examples within your application and interview.
Some roles may include a Legal Scenario as part of the assessment, this will be clearly indicated in the job advertisement.
Where a role is being assessed on a statement of suitability, you’ll need to demonstrate that you have understood the requirements of the job description. Identify key skills and responsibilities by using examples from your work or home life.
Some of our roles that are advertised will have a legal assessment tested at interview stages. You will be given advance notice of the area of law required to be studied prior to interview.
Unsure if you have the required Legal qualifications?
You can find out more about whether you have the necessary skills or qualifications for the role you’re applying for here:
If you are still unsure, please email legalrecruitment@justice.gov.uk
Interested in work mentoring and shadowing?
University law student interested in a legal career? Spend a week with us shadowing a Legal adviser, and get a look behind the scenes at what it’s like to work in the court system.
You’ll get the opportunity to visit your local magistrates court, and see various legal job roles in action, including Barristers, Legal advisers and judges. Alongside working at the heart of local justice, you’ll gain valuable tips and insights from the people who know the jobs best.
If you’re interested or would like some more information, please contact legalrecruitment@justice.gov.uk
“At the School of Law, we’re always seeking ways of enhancing our students’ exposure to legal practice, through pro bono or para legal work, to develop their practical skills and confidence. The HMCTS mentoring scheme has proven universally popular and enjoyable for our students.’’
– Phil Elis, Head of the Law school at the University of West London
