Legal Officer First-tier Tribunal (Residential Property) Leicester

HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS); Leicester; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A public service organization is seeking a Legal Officer to play a pivotal role in tribunal case management. Responsibilities include supporting the administration of tribunal cases, making decisions on appeals, and liaising with various stakeholders. This role requires strong communication skills, decision-making confidence, and a law degree or relevant experience. The position offers a competitive salary in Leicester, with flexible working patterns available.

Benefits

25 days of annual leave raising to 30 days after five years

Flexible working arrangements

Access to training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to make evidence-based decisions.
• Experience working within a decision-making framework under supervision.

Responsibilities

• Support effective administration of tribunal cases.
• Make informed case management decisions under delegated judicial powers.
• Liaise with stakeholders to ensure justice is administered.

Skills

Confidence in decision-making

Effective communication skills

Ability to analyze information quickly

Education

Law degree or equivalent experience

Job description

legal Officer – HM Courts & Tribunals Service

General Information:

Salary: £35,335 – £37,847

Working Pattern: Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Location: Sovereign House, Leicester, LE1 6TR

Vacancy Approach: External

Post Type: Permanent, Civil Service Grade HEO

Job ID: 13187 (Reserve list 12 months)

Closing Date: 16-Jan-2026

Number of positions: 3 (Reserve list 12 months)

Job Description

Our Legal Officers play a critical role in helping deliver justice. If you are 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.

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.

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 the supporting document and candidate pack included below before applying.

Experience

• A law degree or equivalent technical experience is desirable.

Equivalent Technical Experience

• Demonstration of a transferable decision‑making aptitude, working within a set framework or guidance and previous precedents, under a form of supervision.

Further Details

• New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum.
• 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.
• Standard full‑time working hours are 37 hours per week (Monday – Friday). HMCTS welcomes part‑time, flexible and job‑sharing working patterns, if 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.

Occasional Travel To Other Courts

For this post, occasional travel to other sites may be required.

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 are 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.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

• Hybrid Working arrangements with business need allows. This is an informal, non‑contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
• Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For a nationally advertised role, all successful candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office nearest to their home postcode and on its respective pay scale. This will be at either a HQ building (subject to desk allocation, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO) See Map. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity).

For current MoJ employees, your base location will need to be changed to the nearest viable office (to your home postcode), either at a HQ building, JCC or JSO within the National Office Network and moved its locations respective pay scale (any legacy arrangements/locations will need to be amended). Some of MoJs terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on “modernised” terms in their current post or onto “unmodernised” MoJ terms if they are on “unmodernised” terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made. MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain their grade on lateral transfer. All candidates who are currently in receipt of Mark Time / Pay Protection should ensure they are familiar with the new policy on permanent and temporary promotion which can be found on the employee intranet.

Benefits

• Annual Leave: Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service. There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part‑time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro‑rata basis.
• Pension: The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
• Training: The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
• Networks: The opportunity to join employee‑run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed directly to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
• Support:
  • A range of Family Friendly policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on www.GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order:

• To Transformative Business Services (0345 241 5359 Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm or e‑mail)
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ()

To the Civil Service Commission (details available)

As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. For more information on applying for a role as a candidate with a disability or long‑term condition, please watch our animated videos. You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team.

Diversity & Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent regardless of where it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The “Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans” initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces. For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ is committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are at risk of redundancy. MoJ is able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidates will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

Civil Service Nationality Rules

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)
• 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 can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Contact Information

MoJ: If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e‑mail. Please quote the job reference 13187.

HMPPS: If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e‑mail. Please quote the job reference 13187.

Job Description Attachment

• HMCTS809 Legal Officer attraction pack v5.pdf (Job Description Attachment)

Application Process

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace

Interview Dates: Interviews expected mid February 2026. Dates to be confirmed.

Technical: Legal scenario will be given at interview as part of the assessment.

Level of security checks required: DBS Basic

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): 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. W 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.