Do you have a passion for working in the heart of your local community and are driven by making a difference? Then Citizens Advice Mid Mercia is the organisation for you.
Our free and independent advice helps people solve problems in a confidential and impartial manner. Whatever the problem, we won’t turn people away. We make a difference. Our trusted brand and the quality of our research mean we make a real impact on behalf of the people who rely on us.
Citizens Advice Mid Mercia, in partnership with the Justice First Fellowship (JFF) programme, is seeking a Trainee Solicitor to join its ambitious and supportive team.
The Justice First Fellowshipis a two-year, fully funded legal training programme for aspiring social justice lawyers, run by LEF (an independent funder supporting communities across the UK to use the law to create a more just and equal society). JFF has supported 170 fellows since 2014, with most continuing to work in social justice law.
As a fellow at Citizens Advice Mid Mercia, you’ll complete your legal training with us. You will work alongside and learn from three experienced solicitors while developing your skills as an adviser and progressing your legal career. The Fellowship will fund mandatory legal training and examinations, including the Professional Skills Course and relevant internal or external training.
Through JFF, you’ll receive additional training, wellbeing support, and join a growing network of lawyers using the law to drive social change. You will have the opportunity to complete SQE training and gain the qualifying work experience required to become a solicitor.
We are looking for someone who:
- Able to understand, analyse and apply complex legal or factual information.
- Communicates clearly, accurately and sensitively in writing and verbally.
- Will have completed and passed the LPC by 14 March 2027 or holds an undergraduate degree and will have completed and passed SQE1 by 14 March 2027.
- Enthusiastic, proactive and professional, with sound judgement, integrity and respect for confidentiality
- Demonstrates a genuine commitment to social justice, equality, diversity and inclusion, and to the aims and values of Citizens Advice Mid Mercia.
Full training and support will be given to the successful candidate to enable them to carry out their role.
Responsibilities / Key Tasks:
- Work across a varied social-welfare law caseload, with a particular focus on housing, debt and welfare benefits.
- Support clients experiencing homelessness, threatened or unlawful eviction, disrepair, possession proceedings, and difficulty accessing safe and suitable accommodation.
- Help clients understand their legal rights and options, while liaising with landlords, local authorities and other relevant agencies.
- Assist with preparing cases where legal action is required, including gathering information and evidence, taking witness statements, preparing advice, and collating court bundles.
- Develop a practical understanding of the barriers clients face in securing and maintaining suitable housing, including the interaction between housing issues and debt, benefits, employment, immigration and family circumstances.
- Alongside legal casework and SQE2 study, complete an independent social-justice project - such as legal research, identifying strategic cases or analysing policy impacts to support the charity’s objectives and contribute to systemic change.
What we offer in return:
- 28 days entitlement plus bank holidays pro-rata
- Opportunities for further training and continuous professional development
- Internal progression opportunities
- Supportive environment
- Remote/flexible working opportunities, subject to management approval
- Paid DBS application, where applicable
- 5% pension contributions
- 3 month’s full contractual pay for maternity, upon meeting qualifying criteria
The essentials
Salary: £27,517.12 per annum
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Location: a few days per week from one of our offices, a few days from home depending on service needs
Contract: 2 years (March 2029
Please visit our website to find the full Job Description and Person Specifications for this role - https://www.citizensadvicemidmercia.org.uk/work-with-us
Closing Date: 27 November 2026
Provisional Interview Dates: 18 January, 25 January and 1 February 2027
We are a Disability Confident Employer
Citizens Advice Mid Mercia are an accredited (Level 1) Disability Confident employer, and values diversity and promotes equality. We encourage and welcome applications from suitably skilled candidates from all backgrounds. We follow the social model of disability which believes that it is the barriers created by society which disable people. We will use reasonable adjustments wherever possible to remove those barriers.
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Trainee Solicitor employer: Citizens Advice Mid Mercia
Citizens Advice Mid Mercia is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. With a commitment to flexible working arrangements and a focus on empowering clients through financial advice, employees can find meaningful and rewarding opportunities in the heart of Swadlincote. As a proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme, we foster an inclusive environment where all team members can thrive.
Contact Details:
Citizens Advice Mid Mercia Recruitment Team
