Solicitor

Scottish Legal News; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent legal services provider in Edinburgh is seeking a Solicitor to manage complex legal aid cases, primarily focused on housing and homelessness law. The ideal candidate will have strong civil court experience and advocacy skills and will deliver high-quality, trauma-informed legal advice. Applications close on November 16, 2025.

Qualifications

• Strong civil court experience and advocacy skills are essential.
• Knowledge of civil justice system and legal aid legislation required.
• Must have experience in key areas like housing or mental health.

Responsibilities

• Managing complex civil legal aid caseloads.
• Advising and representing clients independently.
• Building relationships with local solicitors and support organisations.

Skills

Strong civil court experience and advocacy skills

In-depth knowledge of the civil justice system and legal aid legislation

Experience in child law, housing, homelessness, mental health, AWI, debt or benefits appeals

Confidence in working with vulnerable groups

Excellent communication skills

Legal research skills

IT skills

Proactive, self-motivated attitude

Ability to work independently and as part of a team

Job description

Job title: Solicitor | Grade: 6 | Employment type: fixed term (12 months) | Hours: full time (35 hours per week) | Starting salary: £47,380 | Directorate: Client Legal Services | Department: Civil Legal Assistance Office (CLAO) | Location | Closing date: 16 November 2025

We’re looking for a committed and capable Solicitor to join our expert and supportive team. The successful candidate will handle a varied and often complex legal aid caseload, delivering high‑quality, trauma‑informed legal advice and representation predominantly in housing (evictions, disrepair, mortgage repossessions) and homelessness law.

The Edinburgh team is involved in high impact work that tackles homelessness and inequalities. Therefore, in addition to managing your own complex and varied caseload, appearing at court/tribunals and instructing counsel in Court of Session cases, you will have the opportunity to be involved in CLAO’s strategic project work, including our innovative homeless helpline which provides direct legal advice to people rough sleeping.

The work of this role will be based in Edinburgh, and you will generally be required to work from the Edinburgh office a minimum of two days a week, subject to business needs. From time to time, you may also need to travel to geographic locations covered by other CLAO and PDSO offices.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing your own complex and varied civil legal aid caseload
• Advising and representing clients in a timely, independent, and trauma‑informed manner
• Supporting colleagues across CLAO’s network to ensure consistent delivery of casework services
• Delivering and contributing to training and resources for staff, partner agencies, and external organisations
• Participating in duty solicitor schemes, CLAO helplines, and second‑tier advice rotas
• Building strong relationships with local solicitors, courts, and support organisations
• Assisting with policy development and CLAO’s strategic project work
• Supporting Heads of Office with peer supervision, work allocation, and team support

Qualifications and Experience

• Strong civil court experience and advocacy skills
• In‑depth knowledge of the civil justice system and legal aid legislation
• Experience in at least one key area: child law, housing, homelessness, mental health, AWI, debt or benefits appeals
• Confidence in working with vulnerable groups and managing complex, often urgent cases
• Excellent communication, legal research, and IT skills
• A proactive, self‑motivated attitude with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team

For more details and a full list of essential criteria and required competencies, please see the Job Description.

For assistance, please email [e-mail].

Apply Here

Completed applications should be returned by Sunday, 16 November (23:55).

About the Civil Legal Assistance Office (CLAO)

The Civil Legal Assistance Office (CLAO) provides accessible legal support to those who need it most. Since 2008, we have helped people with their civil law problems by providing a combination of direct casework, expert guidance and training to advice organisations, and referrals to other providers of legal assistance. In addition to supporting individuals, we collaborate with local and national organisations on projects that strengthen legal assistance networks and address community needs.

We are part of the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s Client Legal Services Directorate, alongside the Public Defence Solicitor’s Office (PDSO) and Solicitor Contact Line (SCL), making us Scotland’s largest multi‑disciplinary legal aid practice and a unique place to work.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer, dedicated to being fair, inclusive and a place where all belong. We welcome and encourage applications from diverse backgrounds, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, and LGBTQI+ people. We will ensure that the disclosure of disability status will not negatively impact anyone’s application.