Legal Trainee Solicitor

Crown Prosecution Service; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK government agency is seeking legal trainees for a two-year programme that prepares candidates for a fully qualified solicitor role. Responsibilities include case reviews and engagement with victims. Candidates must hold a relevant law qualification and possess strong legal intellect. The program guarantees advancement to a permanent role post-training, with various benefits including flexible working, competitive salary, and generous leave policies.

Benefits

Flexible and family-friendly working

Competitive salary

Civil Service pension with 28.9% employer contribution

25–30 days leave plus bank holidays

3 days paid volunteering leave

Extra holiday for the King's birthday

Individual learning budget of £350

Wellbeing support and counselling

Cycle2work scheme and retailer discounts

Qualifications

• Must demonstrate an interest in criminal law.
• Expected to develop skills for potential promotion opportunities.
• Willingness to work in diverse legal areas during secondments.

Responsibilities

• Gain experience in reviewing cases and preparing pre-charge advice.
• Attend meetings with victims and witnesses.
• Complete a two-year programme leading to a permanent position as a crown prosecutor.

Skills

Sound legal intellect

Ability to present cases clearly both verbally and in writing

Education

Law degree

Graduate Diploma in Law

Completed Legal Practice Course or Solicitors Qualifying Examination before September 2027

Job description

Applications are now open for the Crown Prosecution Service legal trainee scheme. This is an exciting opportunity to kick-start your legal career and become a fully qualified solicitor.

About the Crown Prosecution Service

At the Crown Prosecution Service, we’re responsible for delivering justice through the independent and effective prosecution of crime. We are the biggest employer of criminal law specialists in England and Wales, and are ranked as one of the most attractive employers for law students by Universum. We’re proud to be recognised by our legal trainees in the Legal 500 Future Lawyers survey 2025 for our client secondments, confidence of being kept on, work/life balance, inclusiveness, international secondments and approachability.

About the legal trainee scheme

Our legal trainee scheme is a two-year programme of courses and practical training to help you become a fully qualified solicitor. You gain valuable experience in all areas of our legal work, from reviewing cases and preparing pre‑charge advice to attending meetings with victims and witnesses. You’re guaranteed a permanent position as a crown prosecutor after successfully completing your training period. You’re supported by a supervisor, who offers guidance and opportunities to develop your understanding of working as a prosecutor. You have at least one secondment in an area outside of criminal law, and you can develop your knowledge by working in specialist crime areas including rape and serious sexual offences, organised crime and fraud. We’re committed to your professional growth and expect, following your initial role in the magistrates’ court, that you have the necessary skills to apply for promotion opportunities based in the Crown Court including senior crown prosecutor roles.

Requirements

We’re looking for aspiring solicitors with an interest in criminal law. You must have a law degree, Graduate Diploma in Law or Common Professional Examination, and have completed your Legal Practice Course or Solicitors Qualifying Examination before September 2027. Sound legal intellect and the ability to present cases clearly, both verbally and in writing is essential.

Disability confident

Disability Confident. A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high‑volume, seasonal and high‑peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non‑disabled people.

Benefits

At the Crown Prosecution Service, we pride ourselves on providing benefits that ensure our employees’ needs are central. We want to ensure you can thrive at work and home, offering support to achieve a balance. This includes flexible working hours, flexibility to support caring responsibilities and a family‑friendly approach to work. We also offer a range of benefits including:

• flexible and family‑friendly working
• competitive salary
• Civil Service pension, with an average employer contribution of 28.9%
• 25 days leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays
• 3 days paid volunteering leave
• an extra privilege day for the King’s birthday
• £350 a year individual learning budget
• wellbeing support and counselling
• Cycle2work scheme, high street retailer offers and discounts