Lawyer – Court of Appeal, Criminal Division (Ref: 17469)

Job summary

Please refer to the Job Description

Job description

Proud to serve. Proud to keep justice going

Background

His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of the criminal, civil and family courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and non-devolved tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It provides a fair, efficient and effective justice system delivered by an independent judiciary. HMCTS aims to ensure that all citizens receive timely access to justice according to their different needs, whether as victims or witnesses of crime, defendants accused of crime, consumers in debt, children at risk of harm, businesses involved in commercial disputes or as individuals asserting their employment rights or challenging the decisions of government bodies.

HMCTS is undertaking an ambitious reform programme. The programme will enhance the provision of a world-class justice system, in a manner that provides an improved user experience at reduced cost to the taxpayer. This will contribute to consolidating the UK’s position at the forefront of an increasingly competitive international legal market as well as ensuring access to justice for all.

The programme includes creating high quality digital services, modernising the court estate, updating and replacing its technology, speeding up and streamlining working practices, refurbishing buildings to reduce maintenance costs and provide much improved services for service users, especially vulnerable witnesses and victims.

Consequently, there are high expectations of all staff regardless of the job they do, and high performance is expected from everybody. The organisation is continuously adopting new or better ways of working to ensure that it focuses on just that which is essential. HMCTS senior management expects all leaders to operate in a culture of openness and honesty, demonstrating a commitment to change through involvement and empowerment, and by delivering results.

Role overview

The SEO Lawyer will play a key role in supporting the effective administration of justice in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division (CACD) providing high quality legal casework, case management and procedural advice in support of judicial decision-making. The jurisdiction of the CACD is primarily to determine appeals from the Crown Court and to provide guidance on criminal legislation, case law and procedure. For the majority of defendants, it is the final court of appeal. The Criminal Appeal Office (CAO) provides administrative and legal support to the CACD and to the Court Martial Appeals Court.

The role is designed as a developmental legal position, offering exposure to appellate and tribunal work, complex procedural environments, and close working relationships with the judiciary, senior lawyers and operational colleagues.

Key responsibilities

Core responsibilities

• Case management:
  Manage and progress allocated cases effectively, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, procedural rules and practice directions, and supporting the timely and just determination of proceedings.
• Legal analysis and advice:
  Identify, analyse and clearly articulate legal and procedural issues arising in cases, including undertaking legal research and providing accurate, well‑reasoned advice to senior lawyers, judiciary and court users as appropriate.
• Preparation of legal materials:
  Prepare high‑quality written products such as case summaries, procedural notes, draft directions, recommendations or other materials to support judicial consideration and decision‑making.
• Procedural guidance:
  Provide advice and guidance on court or tribunal procedure to colleagues, professional court users and litigants in person, ensuring clarity, consistency and fairness.
• Judicial support:
  Work closely with the judiciary, senior legal managers and colleagues to ensure cases are ready for hearing or determination, and that issues are clearly identified and appropriately presented.
• Continuous professional development:
  Maintain and develop specialist legal knowledge and skills relevant to the jurisdiction, keeping up to date with changes in law, procedure and practice, and meeting applicable CPD requirements.
• Flexible contribution:
  Undertake such other duties as reasonably required which are commensurate with the grade and nature of the role.

Jurisdiction‑specific responsibilities

• Exercise delegated case management or decision‑making functions, where formally authorised and appropriately trained.
• Proactively identify risks, delays or barriers to effective case progression across a caseload or work area and take action to address these.
• Manage more complex, sensitive or high‑profile cases, with appropriate support and oversight.
• Contribute to training, guidance or knowledge‑sharing activity, including supporting the design or delivery of legal or procedural training.
• Participate in or lead small development or improvement projects that enhance the efficiency, quality or user experience of court or tribunal processes.

Working relationships

SEO Lawyers work closely with:

• Judiciary
• Senior Legal Managers and Grade 7 Lawyers
• Administrative teams
• Professional court users and litigants in person

The role requires strong collaboration, sound judgement and the ability to communicate effectively at all levels.

Skills, knowledge and experience

Experience: A Lawyer will be expected to have knowledge, skills and experience and provide evidence at both the sift and interview stages which include:

Essential

• Legally qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister of England and Wales, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX/CILEX Lawyer), having completed the required training contract, pupillage or qualifying period of employment.
• Strong legal analytical skills, with the ability to identify key issues, apply relevant law and procedure, and exercise sound judgement.
• Clear and effective written and oral communication skills, including the ability to explain complex legal or procedural matters concisely.
• Good organisational skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• The ability to work collaboratively, professionally and with integrity in a judicial environment.
• IT competence and the ability to use legal research tools effectively.

Desirable

• Experience of appellate, tribunal or complex casework
• Knowledge of criminal law and procedure
• Experience of contributing to training or improvement projects

Decision‑making and autonomy

SEO Lawyers operate within HMCTS and Ministry of Justice policies, legal frameworks and procedural rules. The level of autonomy will vary according to jurisdiction, experience and role requirements. All role holders are expected to exercise appropriate professional judgement and seek guidance where required.

Where delegated functions are exercised, these will be subject to formal authorisation, training and assurance arrangements.

Interview

If invited to interview, this will include a 1 hour assessment (drafting and legal risk) followed by a 1 hour interview.

• The required reading for the drafting assessment will be sent to you via email one week prior to the interview. A set of questions will be provided at interview, and you will need to provide your answers in writing.
• At interview you will be provided with a set of legal risk scenarios and asked to consider your answers to the questions (to be discussed in interview).
• At the end of the hour, you will provide your written answers to the drafting assessment to the facilitator who will pass them on to the panel.
• You will then have a 10 – 15 minute break. During this time, the panel will review your answers to the drafting assessment.
• At the allotted time, you will join the panel in person for the remainder of the interview.

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Technical Skills

Technical 1

1. Legal drafting – a judgment will be provided to the candidate one week prior to the interview. At interview, the candidate will be provided with a set of questions and required to draft their answers (in writing) so that they can be reviewed by the panel.

Technical 2

2. Judgement / analysis of legal risk - a set of scenarios will be provided at interview. The candidate will be required to discuss their answers to the questions during the interview.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Qualifications

Legally qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister of England and Wales, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX/CILEX Lawyer), having completed the required training contract, pupillage or qualifying period of employment.

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:

• Please refer to the Job Description
• Please refer to the Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £49,325, HM Courts and Tribunals Service contributes £14,289 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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 diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Annual Leave
• Public Holidays
• Season Ticket Advance

For more information about the recruitment process, benefits and allowances and answers to general queries, please click the below link which will direct you to our Candidate Information Page.

Link: https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

https://justicejobs.tal.net/vx/candidate/cms/About%20the%20MOJ

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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 : SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team
• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk
• Telephone : 0345 241 5359

Recruitment team

• Email : moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles and would like to raise this, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance. If the role has been advertised externally (outside of the Civil Service) and you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

https://jobs.justice.gov.uk/careers/JobDetail/17469?entityId=17469