Overview
General Information
Salary £40,014 - £42,859 | Working Pattern: Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working
Vacancy Approach: External
Location: Feltham
Region: London
Closing Date: 03-Feb-2026
Post Type: Permanent
Civil Service Grade: HEO
Number of jobs available: 1
Reserve List: 12 Months
Job ID: 13952
Descriptions & requirements
Job description
Proud to serve. Proud to keep justice going. Our Legal Officers play a critical role in helping deliver justice. If you’re intent on serving the public by delivering excellent service, and are enthusiastic about working with the judiciary, then this role gives you the opportunity to play a pivotal role within HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS).
About Us
Part of HMCTS, the Tribunals Directorate is responsible for the effective administration of Tribunals in England and Wales and non-devolved Tribunals in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We work with an independent judiciary across a wide range of jurisdictions to provide a fair, efficient and effective justice system.
Your role
Working within a Regional Hearing Centre (RHC), you will support the effective administration of Tribunals’ business on a national scale by undertaking a range of complex case work and assessment activity in order to determine how best to advance caseloads and remove any barriers to effective and timely case progression.
Working independently with the support of a wider team, you will make informed decisions on how best to process appeals allowing all better access to justice. Under the supervision of a Senior Legal Officer and leadership judiciary, the Legal Officer will make case management decisions as part of their delegated judicial powers. A Legal Officer will liaise with key stakeholders and HMCTS colleagues to ensure the effective administration of justice.
We would like to highlight that this is an office-based position, and the successful candidate will be expected to attend the following office in person:
Hatton Cross Immigration and Asylum Tribunal Hearing Centre, 2-3 Dukes Green Ave, Feltham TW14 0LR
About you
Are you able to reflect on an issue and take an informed and impartial approach to your work, making evidence-based decisions? If you do, this varied and challenging role is for you.
A confident communicator and decision maker, you will use your skills and abilities to effectively work and engage with all court users. You’ll understand the importance of impartial decision making, and the need to understand a wide range of information at pace. You’ll have the ability to communicate with multiple levels of stakeholders internal and external to the Tribunal, with varying communication methods and the ability to adapt your communication to your audience.
Experience & qualifications
A law degree or equivalent technical experience is desirable.
The Equivalent Technical Experience Has Been Defined As: The demonstration of a transferable decision-making aptitude, working within a set framework or guidance and previous precedents, under a form of supervision.
Further details
New recruits to the Civil Service joining MoJ are expected to join at the band minimum. These operational roles are customer facing, requiring successful applicants to be office based to provide HMCTS services to the public. Non-contractual hybrid working may be available, but we cannot facilitate requests for a particular work-from-home/working-in-the-office schedule.
Standard full-time working hours are 37 hours per week. HMCTS welcomes part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns, provided they meet the demands of the role and business needs and are agreed prior to appointment. All applications for part-time, flexible and job-sharing working patterns will be considered in accordance with the MoJ Flexible Working policy.
Question and Answer session
Candidates who are successful at sift and invited to interview will have the opportunity to attend a Question and Answer session before the interviews commence to find out more about the role and the assessment process.
Occasional travel
For this post, occasional travel to other sites may be required.
Additional Information
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business needs allow. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and/or from home. Please note that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas. All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles: candidates will be appointed to the nearest viable office to their home postcode and on its pay scale, whether a HQ building, a Justice Collaboration Centre (JCC) or a Justice Satellite Office (JSO). All employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity.
For current MoJ employees, base location may be changed accordingly to the nearest viable office within the National Office Network and moved to the corresponding pay scale. Some terms and conditions are changing as part of Civil Service reform. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Flexible working and the Civil Service: MoJ offers flexible working patterns in many offices. Training, benefits and networks are described in the sections below.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
* Annual Leave: 25 days on appointment, rising to 30 days after five years’ service. Pro-rata leave for part-time roles.
* Pension: Civil Service pension schemes available.
* Training: Extensive training and development opportunities.
* Networks: Employee networks for minority groups and allies.
* Family-friendly policies and flexible benefits, including childcare and other supports.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out expected standards of behaviour. We recruit by merit on a fair and open basis. If you feel the process breaches recruitment principles, you may lodge a formal complaint with the designated channels listed in the job posting.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: The Civil Service is committed to attracting, retaining and investing in talent. This includes initiatives for veterans and redeployment opportunities where applicable.
Nationality & eligibility
This job is broadly open to the following groups: UK nationals, Irish nationals, Commonwealth citizens with right to work in the UK, EU/EEA/Swiss nationals and their family members with settled or pre-settled status, and other eligible categories. See the job posting for full details.
Contact & application details
MoJ: 0345 241 5359 (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm) or email. Please quote job reference 13952.
HMPPS: 0345 241 5358 (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm) or email. Please quote job reference 13952.
Other documents
Job Description Attachment: HMCTS809 Legal Officer attraction pack v5.pdf
Assessment
* Application stage: Evidence-based decisions and other competencies.
* Interview stage: Dates expected late February 2026 (dates to be confirmed).
* Strengths will be assessed but not shared in advance. A legal scenario will be given at interview.
* Security: DBS Basic.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
AI can support your application, but all statements must be truthful and drawn from your own experience. Plagiarism policies apply.
For more information on applying as a candidate with a disability or long-term condition, please review the guidance in the candidate pack and contact the TBS Recruitment Enquiries Team if you need adjustments.
#J-18808-Ljbffr