Solicitor

Scottish Legal Aid Board

Edinburgh

We’re looking for a skilled civil solicitor to help shape the delivery of legal aid in Scotland by making well-reasoned decisions on complex civil and children’s legal assistance applications.

This is an ideal role for someone who combines strong legal knowledge with excellent communication, research, and decision-making skills.

Key responsibilities include:

• Making decisions on civil and children’s legal aid applications, including assessing case merits and approving expenditure
• Handling complex legal queries and providing expert guidance to both internal staff and the legal profession
• Drafting clear, practical internal and external guidance on decision-making processes
• Advising on legal aid policy and contributing to improvements in procedures, systems, and application standards
• Keeping up to date with legal developments, relevant legislation, and case law
• Representing SLAB at external meetings and participating in internal projects, training, and legal system improvements.

To succeed in this role, you will need:

• Significant experience in civil law, with in-depth knowledge of the civil justice system and legal aid legislation
• Excellent legal research and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex cases and apply sound judgement
• Highly developed written and verbal communication skills – clear, diplomatic, and confident when dealing with legal professionals and internal teams
• Strong client and customer focus with an organised, pragmatic approach to handling urgent and complex casework
• A self-motivated mindset with the ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines under pressure
• Familiarity with legal IT systems and Microsoft 365 tools in a professional setting
• A collaborative attitude with a willingness to support training and contribute to broader SLAB initiatives.

Apply here