Masters List

The Law Society of Northern Ireland will publish the list of solicitors' practices, Governmental and non-Governmental organisations and businesses seeking an apprentice when they are available:

Second Year Trainee Solicitor

(Fixed term until October 2022

 

The Office of the Police Ombudsman is an independent statutory office whose main function is the investigation of complaints about the conduct of police officers. The Police Ombudsman also investigates matters referred to her by the Chief Constable and other criminal justice bodies, as well as investigating matters on her own initiative when it is in the public interest to do so.

The Office is seeking to offer an apprenticeship for a second year Trainee Solicitor at the QUB Institute of Legal Studies.  The Trainee Solicitor will be based at the Ombudsman’s Office in:

New Cathedral Buildings

11 Church Street

Belfast

BT1 IPG

Rate of pay:   

£8.36 per hour (aged 21 – 22)

£8.91 per hour (aged 23 and over)

Hours of Work: Full time – 9.00am – 5.00pm (37 hours/week)

Main purpose of the post:

To assist the Head of Legal Services in the preparation and provision of legal advice to the Ombudsman and her staff.  In carrying out this role, the Trainee Solicitor will be required to research, collect, summarise and analyse relevant material in order to provide responses to requests for legal advice.  This will involve supporting the Head of Legal Services in keeping up to date with changes in the criminal justice and ombudsman landscape that may impact on the Ombudsman’s role and remit.  

The Trainee Solicitor will assist the Head of Legal Services in preparing briefs for Counsel and in attending Counsel at all courts in Northern Ireland. The Trainee Solicitor will assist the Head of Legal Services in advising the Ombudsman and her staff on legal issues arising in connection with any aspect of the work of the Office.  The Trainee Solicitor may also be required to represent the Office by joining the Head of Legal Services at meetings and events with external stakeholders – it is anticipated that these events may be conducted remotely during the Covid 19 pandemic.   

Applicants are asked to submit a C.V. and a completed monitoring form, together with a response to an essay question (in no more than 750 words) as follows:

Explain the role of the Police Ombudsman in the police accountability landscape in Northern Ireland.

CVs, essay and a completed monitoring form can be submitted electronically to:

recruitment@policeombudsman.org or by post to:

The Human Resources Department

Police Ombudsman Office

New Cathedral Buildings

11 Church Street

Belfast

BT1 1PG  

All applications must be returned no later than 12 noon on Friday 29 October 2021.  Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.

If you require any further information about the role, then please email Hugh Sally (hugh.sally@policeombudsman.org.) or telephone 028 90828743.

All applicants will be assessed on their written submission in the first instance and only those deemed suitable will be invited to interview.

The Law Society requires an apprentice training in-house or in the public sector to spend a period of secondment in private practice of between 3 and 6 months.   The successful apprentice wishing to transfer to the Police Ombudsman Office will commence the remainder of their training with their Master on Tuesday 4 January 2022 and complete their training in October 2022 (on completion of their Law Society apprenticeship contract).

Given that the Police Ombudsman is providing the opportunity to facilitate the latter period of the training requirement of the apprenticeship, it will be unable to afford the apprentice the opportunity to spend a period of secondment in private practice of between 3-6 months.  Therefore applications from apprentices who have not spent the required period of secondment in private practice will not be considered.

The Police Ombudsman is committed to the merit principle in respect of all appointments. The Police Ombudsman is an Equal Opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified applicants.