Job Description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.
As part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service commitment to equality and diversity, our recruitment system will automatically anonymise your personal information once your application is submitted and a generic application number is generated. The selection panel will only see the evidence you have provided on how you meet the key capabilities required for the job. Please check your details carefully and answer all required questions as this may affect any potential employment with us.

Salary

Salary from 56,875 to 70,385

Contractual hours

35

Basis

Full time

Region

Judicial Office

Package

Full SCTS benefits package

Date posted

20/10/2025

Job reference

REQ00992



The Law Clerk to the Sheriff Appeal Court is a legally qualified position. This role involves working with the Law Clerks to the Lord President, the Lord Justice Clerk and the Inner House, primarily assisting the Sheriffs Principal in the performance of their judicial functions. This includes assisting in the preparation of appeals, noting arguments presented in court and preparing draft text suitable for possible inclusion in the Opinions of the Sheriff Appeal Court.

The post-holder will also carry out legal research and prepare briefings, documents and other papers as directed by the Sheriffs Principal, in support of their non-judicial functions. In this the post-holder will work closely with judicial office holders and officials across SCTS, including in the Lord President's Private Office and at senior level across SCTS.

Futher information about the roles and the excellent benefits of working for SCTS can be found on the attched job information pack.

Your application must provide evidence of how you meet the criteria set out in the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the Person Specification in the Job Information Pack. Please note that each section is limited to 800 words so please take this into account when completing this section.

Applications should be submitted by 11:59pm on Sunday 9 November 2025.

Interviews are expected to be held week commencing 17 November 2025. There will be an assessment as part of the interview process, details of which will be communicated in the invite to interview.

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service is exempt from the protections of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). This permits us to ask applicants details of both spent and unspent convictions, along with details of any formal cautions that you may have. Individuals without existing security clearance will always be considered as all successful applicants will require a standard level Disclosure check completed before employment can commence.

Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service recruitment processes are underpinned by the recruitment principles of the Civil Service Commissioner, which outline that selection for appointment be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition - Recruitment - Civil Service Commission (independent.gov.uk)

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Principles, you can make a complaint, by contacting us at recruitment@scotcourts.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commissioner.