Solicitor

Civil Legal Assistance Office

Aberdeen

We’re looking for a committed and capable Solicitor to join the Civil Legal Assistance Office (CLAO) to cover maternity leave for up to 12 months. You’ll handle a mixed and often complex legal aid caseload, delivering high-quality, trauma-informed legal advice and representation in key areas like child law, public family law, housing, and more.

This is an excellent opportunity for anyone with a track record of excelling at civil litigation work, particularly those who have experience in either representing parents and children in the children’s hearing process, or in housing and homelessness law, as well as newly or recently qualified solicitors or those looking to develop such skills in a highly rewarding work environment.

The role is based within the geographical area covered by our Aberdeen office and will involve regular attendance at in-person court and children’s hearings in both Aberdeen and other areas within Aberdeenshire. Our preference is for the successful candidate to be based locally. Whilst we will consider applications for those wishing to work remotely, for example homeworking or in one of our other offices (Edinburgh and Inverness), the successful candidate will be expected to attend the Aberdeen office on a regular basis.

Key responsibilities include:

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

To succeed in this role, you will need:

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 about this role and a full list of essential criteria and required competencies, please see the Job Description.

Completed applications should be returned by Sunday, 13 July 2025 (midnight).

Apply here