Crown Court Clerk

Ministry of Justice; Manchester; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Ministry of Justice, through HM Courts & Tribunals Service, offers a Crown Court Clerk training programme designed to build the skills to run hearings, produce accurate court documents, and liaise confidently with judges and participants.

The role requires active listening, public speaking in court, teamwork with the clerking team, and the ability to handle sensitive, time-critical tasks while adapting to new digital systems.

Qualifications

• Able to speak publicly and within a court room environment.
• Excellent communication, organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Ability to complete documents accurately and to deadlines.
• IT proficient with the ability to learn and adapt to different technologies and software packages.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the smooth running of Crown Courts sitting daily and intervene in Court when required.
• Produce exact and time-critical Court documents, including verdicts and court orders.
• Record hearing outcomes accurately and efficiently.
• Liaise confidently with the Judge, defence, prosecution, media, and members of the public on complex matters.

Skills

Public speaking

Courtroom communication

Organisational skills

Prioritisation

IT literacy

Tools

IT systems

Job description

Our Crown Court Clerks are essential to ensure Crown Court hearings run smoothly. They have the self-assurance to speak in court, communicate confidently with the Judge and all participants and the skill to produce accurate and timely Court documents. Our Crown Court Clerk training programme provides a structured yet flexible approach to building the skills required to perform this vital role., This role is not eligible for new Skilled Worker visas in accordance with the current immigration rules.

From 22 July 2025, the Government introduced changes to the Skilled Worker visa route. The department cannot consider sponsoring you for this role unless you have held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes. 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 have not held a Skilled Worker visa prior to the 22 July 2025 changes, 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.

This is a unique position at the heart of justice. It requires high emotional resilience, along with the ability to understand and be sensitive to many, sometime difficult, issues and take a non-judgemental approach to our service users.

You're an active listener and confident communicator; able to speak publicly in court, with the self-assurance to confidently liaise with the Judge, the defence, prosecution, media, members of the public and more, regarding complex and sensitive matters in a calm and professional manner.

A real team player, working with the clerking team, you'll ensure the smooth running of all the Crown Courts sitting daily, able to intervene in Court when required and maximise judicial sitting time. With experience in producing exact and time critical documentation, your ability to focus will be key in taking verdicts, conducting arraignments, producing Court orders and recording hearing outcomes accurately and efficiently.

Resilient, keen to learn and the ability to multi-task, you're familiar with working within process and have the IT skills to adapt to new systems and technologies as we're constantly investing in digital solutions to improve the way we deliver the justice people deserve in today's world.

Your skills and experience

• Able to speak publicly and within a court room environment.
• Excellent communication, organisational and prioritisation skills
• Ability to complete documents accurately and to deadlines.
• IT proficient with the ability to learn and adapt to different technologies and software packages.

This role gives you the opportunity to make a difference in delivery Justice and gives you the benefits developing your career in the Civil Service.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the administration of criminal, civil and family Courts and Tribunals in England and Wales. Our roles support our service users and colleagues within HMCTS, where people and businesses access potentially life-changing justice. We're looking for individuals who are committed to public service and making a difference in people's lives to deliver justice.

These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. Standard full time working hours are 37 hours per week. HMCTS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, where they meet the demands of the role and business needs and are agreed prior to appointment. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ's Flexible Working policy.

This is a business-critical role requiring full time hours only.