Trainee Solicitor (Temporary) - REQ06346 - 479538

INTERNAL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY VIA MYSELF

NLC7 - £31,541 - £34,307 per year

North Lanarkshire Council is the fourth largest authority in Scotland, and we are used to delivering a highly responsive service to our communities.

We are looking for a Trainee Solicitor to join Legal, Democratic & Strategy based within the Civic Centre, Motherwell. The post will rotate between the Commercial and Property Team, working in areas such as contracts, commercial leasing, procurement, planning, and conveyancing; the Governance and Information Team, working in areas such as Data Protection and FOI; and the Litigation Team where you will be learning court and tribunal skills and working in areas such as social work, housing, education, employment, personal injury and licensing law. You will be offered a balanced, challenging and well supported professional traineeship and will be supported to provide legal advice, assistance and advocacy as required to deliver legal services across the organisation. You will work across a range of areas that are hugely varied and professionally rewarding. Your clients will include Councillors as well as other Council services and you will gain experience of a wide variety of law in an exciting and ever-changing sector. You will receive support and mentoring from all members of the team to give you broad and valuable experience and guidance.

You should have a degree in Scots Law (LLB) and hold a valid Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (PEAT 1). You should be able to demonstrate good general legal knowledge and have the ability to address and resolve complex legal problems. You must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, and have the ability to produce well-structured written documentation. You will be an enthusiastic, committed and motivated individual.

Good client handling skills and excellent attention to detail are essential, as is the ability to carry out research and information gathering exercises.

These posts are temporary for two years and expected to commence in September 2026.  

This post is politically restricted in terms of Section 2 (1) (g) of The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 as amended. 

Successful candidates will require to obtain a satisfactory Level 2 Disclosure Scotland check (application will be processed by the Council for successful candidates and must be attained prior to commencing employment).

If you would like to more information on this post please email Collette Crainie, Solicitor (Information Governance) at View email address on s1jobs.com or Julie Nicholson, Solicitor (Litigation) at View email address on s1jobs.com

Working Pattern – 35 Hours

Monday - Thursday 08.45 - 16.45 (55 Minute unpaid lunch break);

Friday 08:45 - 16:15 (50 Minute unpaid lunch break)

Working here at North Lanarkshire Council

If you’re considering a career with us, you’ll be keen to know what’s in it for you. We have a great package of benefits available, from health and wellbeing to finances and family. This includes 27 days annual leave and 6 public holidays*, and a wide range of benefits available to you, find out more at work well NL. We also have a full package of learning and development through our learning academy LearnNL to help you reach your full potential and further your career. 

For more information on local authority careers visit the  myjobscotland career hub

North Lanarkshire Council are Happy to Talk Flexible Working, we operate a Smarter Working Policy.

Click here to see our  Recruitment Charter.

*For all casual/sessional roles, you will receive 12.1% of your hourly rate for every hour worked in total recompense for annual leave, including public holidays. These rates will be indicated separately on your payslip. You will only be paid for the hours that you work.

North Lanarkshire Council has reached its current allocation of Certificates of Sponsorship and, as a result, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship at this time.

We are a Disability Confident Leader and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who consider themselves to be disabled, as long as they meet the essential criteria of the person specification/job description. 

We have also adopted the Armed Forces Community Covenant to show our support for service personnel, veterans and their families. We offer a guaranteed interview for service leavers, spouses, reservists and veterans, as long as they meet the essential criteria of the person specification/job description. 

North Lanarkshire Council is committed to #KeepingThePromise. This means that if you have ever been in care (looked after at home with a social worker, lived with a relative other than your parents, experienced foster, residential or secure care) you are entitled to a guaranteed interview for this post, as long as you meet the essential criteria of the person specification/job description. This is one way North Lanarkshire is demonstrating our commitment to supporting Care-Experienced People. 

The Plan for North Lanarkshire is to be the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit. The Council recognises that work is an important part of adult life and is critical to our wellbeing and shaping how we live. The Fair Work Convention’s Framework defines Fair Work as work that offers effective voice, fulfilment, opportunity, respect and security. We believe Fair Work can boost creativity, realise untapped potential and increase productivity. To find out more click on the link.

Alternative Application Packs can be requested in other formats for example, Large Print, Braille, and Audio. To request an alternative Application Pack please phone . 

The following link contains our Easy Read documents which will help explain the process and what happens during the selection process: Easy Read – My NL

***PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT ACCEPT CVS IN PLACE OF THE APPLICATION FORM. TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS VACANCY YOU MUST ENSURE AN APPLICATION FORM IS SUBMITTED. ANY CV SUBMISSIONS WILL BE DISREGARDED.***