Career as a Solicitor

The Council is a major employer in North East Scotland. Solicitors employed by Aberdeenshire Council can expect to deal with a wide variety of work, from child protection to employment, contracts to commercial property sales, purchases and leases.

As one of our solicitors you would provide legal advice and support to Aberdeenshire Councillors and employees as well as other public sector bodies. You would also be required to represent the Council’s interests in Courts and Tribunals, deal with property transactions and advise on all aspects of the legal functioning of the Council.

We also provide legally qualified clerks to the Licensing Boards, and administer the licensing regime for liquor, taxis etc.

There would also be opportunity to gain expertise in specialised areas of the law including anti-social behaviour, mental health, education and planning law. We work with solicitors and professionals in organisations in both the private and public sectors. Team work is an important part of our ethos.

What qualifications and experience do you need?

You will need a law degree, followed by practical, structured training.
This entails the following three-stage process:

• A Scots Law Degree - three years for the Ordinary Degree of Bachelor of Laws (“LL.B”), or four years for a Degree with Honours.
• A postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (“Dip.L.P.”) - this takes a further year.
• After completion of the above, all intending solicitors are required to serve a two-year post-diploma training contract. This is generally known as a Traineeship or Training Contract and is served with a practising solicitor in Scotland. At the end of the training, the training firm will be required to discharge the Training Contract and the trainee becomes a qualified solicitor.

There is an alternative for those who do not wish to obtain an LL.B Degree. The Law Society of Scotland offers an alternative route that involves entering into a threeyear pre-diploma training contract with a Scottish solicitor and studying for the Society’s professional exams.

Future Career Opportunities

We usually offer a traineeship every two years. Trainees are involved in legal transactions and cases spanning many areas of the law some of which are unique to local authorities.

Those employed as solicitors can progress through the Service’s Professional Career Grade Scheme and access a wide range of training and development opportunities including attainment of specialist accreditation.

Further Information

View our current vacancies within Aberdeenshire Council

Or contact:

Office Manager
Law and Administration
Woodhill House
Westburn Road
Aberdeen
AB16 5GB
Tel: 01224 665155
recruitment@aberdeenshire.gov.uk