Trainee Solicitor - 2025 - Independent Monitoring Authority

Closing Date: 23/06/2025, 23:55 hours

Interview dates: Provisionally scheduled for 17 & 18 July 2025

Salary: £28,585 - £30,044

Purpose of the post:

Are you looking for a truly varied role where you will be involved in a range of matters including inquiries, litigation and complaints?

This is an exciting time for the IMA and some of the work we have been doing includes:

• A range of litigation, including a landmark judicial review of elements of the EU Settlement Scheme, and important interventions on novel and contentious questions of interpretation of the Withdrawal Agreement.
• The IMA’s first inquiry on delays in the issuing of Certificates of Application under the EU Settlement Scheme.
• Reviewing legislation from each of the different governments across the UK which cover a range of subjects including student finance, social security, immigration and the recognition of qualifications.

You can read more about this work and more on our website.

We are expanding our Legal team to help support this work and are looking for a Trainee Solicitor to join our current team.

We are offering a truly varied role that will give wide exposure across the full range of legal matters requiring input from the IMA Legal Directorate. The role will offer a unique opportunity to develop your skills in a supportive but challenging environment.

You will work to a Senior Legal Adviser, within a current team of 9 lawyers (comprising 3 Senior Legal Advisers 5 Legal Advisers and 1 Trainee Solicitor) within the Legal Directorate of the Independent Monitoring Authority, reporting to the IMA General Counsel.

As a Trainee Solicitor, you will be expected to contribute to the successful delivery of legal services within the IMA. You can expect to assist in all aspects of the IMA’s work, including in relation to inquiries, legislation monitoring, litigation, complaints in addition to contribution to the development of training materials and guidance. You will have the full support of all colleagues both from within the Legal Directorate and from colleagues across the IMA.

As part of your training, it is likely that you will be expected to undertake a short period of secondment with another public sector legal department or solicitor’s firm, in order to ensure that you receive a breadth of experience of working within the legal sector.

We offer any tailored learning and development required for you to thrive in this role and you have support and guidance to progress your legal career.

The Trainee Solicitor role is a fixed term appointment of up to two years. If appointed and you successfully complete the required training contract, a 24-month transitional period will apply during which you will be offered a permanent appointment as a Legal Adviser at Senior Executive Officer (SEO) grade working towards Grade 7. During the transitional period, you will be expected to successfully complete the objectives and meet the performance standards of the Grade 7 Legal Adviser Framework. In accordance with business needs, you will be provided with the support, training and opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge and expertise to achieve this goal.

Essential Skills:

You will have

• a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree although this does not have to be in law.  [Alternatively, if you hold a Certificate of Academic Standing or Equivalent Means from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), you will be eligible to apply.  Fellows and graduate members of CILEx who have satisfied the SRA’s academic stage of training are also eligible.]
• Have either passed the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or both the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) 1 and SQE 2 by 1 September 2025.

And you will be able to demonstrate the following:

• excellent legal research skills,
• good drafting skills,
• good written and verbal communication skills,
• accuracy and attention to detail, planning and organising to deliver work to tight deadlines,
• ability to build effective working relationships with a range of colleagues and work as part of a team.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions.
• Working together.
• Communicating and Influencing.
• Delivering at pace.

Please refer to our candidate pack for further information

Pwrpas y swydd:

Ydych chi’n chwilio am rôl wirioneddol amrywiol lle byddwch chi’n ymwneud ag amrywiaeth o faterion, gan gynnwys ymchwiliadau, ymgyfreitha a chwynion?

Mae hwn yn gyfnod cyffrous i’r IMA ac mae peth o’r gwaith rydym wedi bod yn ei wneud yn cynnwys y canlynol:

• Amrywiol fathau o ymgyfreitha, gan gynnwys adolygiad barnwrol arloesol o rai o elfennau’r Cynllun Preswylio’n Sefydlog i Ddinasyddion yr UE, ac ymyriadau pwysig mewn cysylltiad â chwestiynau newydd a dadleuol ynghylch dehongli’r Cytundeb Ymadael.
• Ymchwiliad cyntaf yr IMA i oedi wrth gyhoeddi Tystysgrifau Cais o dan y Cynllun Preswylio’n Sefydlog i Ddinasyddion yr UE.
• Adolygu deddfwriaeth o bob un o lywodraethau gwahanol y DU sy’n ymdrin â nifer o bynciau gan gynnwys cyllid myfyrwyr, nawdd cymdeithasol, mewnfudo a chydnabod cymwysterau.

Gallwch ddarllen rhagor am y gwaith hwn a mwy ar ein gwefan <https://ima-citizensrights.org.uk/news/>&nbsp;

Rydym yn ehangu ein tîm Cyfreithiol i helpu i gefnogi’r gwaith hwn ac rydym yn chwilio am Gyfreithiwr dan Hyfforddiant i ymuno â’n tîm presennol.

Rydym yn cynnig rôl wirioneddol amrywiol a fydd yn rhoi sylw eang i’r ystod lawn o faterion cyfreithiol y mae angen i Gyfarwyddiaeth Gyfreithiol yr IMA gyfrannu atynt. Bydd y rôl yn cynnig cyfle unigryw i ddatblygu eich sgiliau mewn amgylchedd cefnogol ond heriol.

Byddwch yn gweithio i Uwch Gynghorydd Cyfreithiol, o fewn tîm o 9 cyfreithiwr ar hyn o bryd (sy’n cynnwys 3 Uwch Gynghorydd Cyfreithiol, 5 Cynghorydd Cyfreithiol ac 1 Cyfreithiwr dan Hyfforddiant) yng Nghyfarwyddiaeth Gyfreithiol yr Awdurdod Monitro Annibynnol, gan adrodd i Gwnsler Cyffredinol yr IMA.

Fel Cyfreithiwr dan Hyfforddiant, bydd disgwyl i chi gyfrannu at ddarparu gwasanaethau cyfreithiol yn llwyddiannus o fewn yr IMA. Gallwch ddisgwyl cynorthwyo â phob agwedd ar waith yr IMA, gan gynnwys mewn perthynas ag ymchwiliadau, monitro deddfwriaeth, ymgyfreitha a chwynion yn ogystal â chyfrannu at ddatblygu canllawiau a deunyddiau hyfforddi. Byddwch yn cael cefnogaeth lawn eich holl gydweithwyr yn y Gyfarwyddiaeth Gyfreithiol a gan gydweithwyr ar draws yr IMA.

Fel rhan o'ch hyfforddiant, mae'n debygol y bydd disgwyl i chi dreulio cyfnod byr ar secondiad gydag adran gyfreithiol mewn sector cyhoeddus neu gwmni cyfreithwyr arall, er mwyn sicrhau eich bod yn cael profiad eang o weithio yn y sector cyfreithiol.

Rydym yn cynnig unrhyw ddysgu a datblygu wedi’u teilwra sy’n ofynnol er mwyn i chi ffynnu yn y rôl hon, a byddwch yn cael cefnogaeth ac arweiniad i ddatblygu eich gyrfa gyfreithiol.

Penodiad am gyfnod penodol o hyd at ddwy flynedd yw rôl y Cyfreithiwr dan Hyfforddiant. Os cewch eich penodi a’ch bod yn cwblhau’r contract hyfforddi gofynnol yn llwyddiannus, bydd cyfnod pontio o 24 mis yn berthnasol. Yn ystod y cyfnod hwn byddwch yn cael cynnig penodiad parhaol fel Cynghorydd Cyfreithiol ar raddfa Uwch Swyddog Gweithredol (SEO), gan weithio tuag at Raddfa 7. Yn ystod y cyfnod pontio, bydd disgwyl i chi gyflawni amcanion a bodloni safonau perfformiad Graddfa 7 y Fframwaith Cynghorydd Cyfreithiol. Yn unol ag anghenion y busnes, byddwch yn cael y gefnogaeth, yr hyfforddiant a’r cyfleoedd i ddatblygu’r sgiliau, yr wybodaeth a’r arbenigedd i gyflawni’r nod hwn.

Sgiliau Hanfodol:

Bydd gennych

• radd anrhydedd 2:2 o leiaf er nad oes yn rhaid i’r radd honno fod yn y gyfraith.  [Neu, os oes gennych Dystysgrif Statws Academaidd neu Ddulliau Cyfwerth gan yr Awdurdod Rheoleiddio Cyfreithwyr (SRA), byddwch yn gymwys i wneud cais.  Mae cymrodyr ac aelodau graddedig o CILEx sydd wedi bodloni cam academaidd hyfforddiant yr SRA hefyd yn gymwys.]
• Byddwch naill ai wedi pasio’r Cwrs Ymarfer Cyfreithiol (LPC) neu’r Arholiad Cymhwyso Cyfreithwyr (SQE) 1 a’r Arholiad Cymhwyso Cyfreithwyr 2 erbyn 1 Medi 2025.

A byddwch yn gallu dangos y canlynol:

• sgiliau ymchwil gyfreithiol rhagorol,
• sgiliau drafftio da,
• sgiliau cyfathrebu da ar lafar ac ar bapur,
• cywirdeb a’r gallu i roi sylw i fanylion, gallu cynllunio a threfnu i gyflawni gwaith o fewn amserlenni tynn,
• gallu meithrin perthynas waith effeithiol gydag amrywiaeth o randdeiliaid a gweithio fel rhan o dîm.

Ymddygiadau

Byddwn yn eich asesu yn erbyn yr ymddygiadau canlynol yn ystod y broses ddethol:

• Gwneud Penderfyniadau Effeithiol.
• Cydweithio.
• Cyfathrebu a Dylanwadu.
• Cyflawni'n gyflym.

Cyfeiriwch yn ol I ein pecyn ymgeisydd am mwy o gwybodaeth

Business unit information

About the IMA

The IMA is an independent body that makes sure the rights of EU and EEA EFTA citizens and their family members living in the UK and Gibraltar are upheld following the departure of the UK from the EU.

The IMA has two broad duties as set out in Part 2 of the Withdrawal and Separation Agreements – to monitor and to promote.

• We monitor UK public bodies to make sure they adequately and effectively implement the rights provided for by the Citizens’ Rights Agreements.
• We promote the adequate and effective implementation and application of the Agreements by holding public bodies to account where there is not full compliance.

The IMA is an independent arms-length body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.

Further information can be found at: https://ima-citizensrights.org.uk/

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging.

Ynglŷn â'r AMA

Mae’r Awdurdod Monitro Annibynnol (“yr IMA”) yn gorff annibynnol sy’n sicrhau bod hawliau dinasyddion yr UE a gwledydd EFTA yr Ardal Economaidd Ewropeaidd sy’n byw yn y DU a Gibraltar yn cael eu cynnal ar ôl i’r DU adael yr UE.

Fel y nodir yn Rhan 2 y Cytundebau Ymadael a Gwahanu, mae gan yr IMA ddwy ddyletswydd eang – sef monitro a hyrwyddo.

• Rydym yn monitro cyrff cyhoeddus yn y DU i sicrhau eu bod yn gweithredu’n ddigonol ac yn effeithiol yn unol â’r hawliau a ddarperir gan y Cytundebau Hawliau Dinasyddion.
• Rydym yn hyrwyddo’r gwaith o weithredu a defnyddio’r Cytundebau yn ddigonol ac yn effeithiol drwy ddal cyrff cyhoeddus i gyfrif lle nad oes cydymffurfiad llawn.

Yr IMA yw corff hyd braich, annibynnol y Weinyddiaeth Gyfiawnder.

Mae rhagor o wybodaeth ar gael yn: https://ima-citizensrights.org.uk/

Rydym yn annog ceisiadau gan bobl o bob cefndir ac yn anelu at gael gweithlu sy’n cynrychioli’r gymdeithas ehangach yr ydym yn ei gwasanaethu. Rydym yn ymfalchïo mewn bod yn gyflogwr o ddewis. Rydym yn hyrwyddo amrywiaeth, cynhwysiant a lles ac yn anelu at greu gweithle lle mae pawb yn teimlo eu bod yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi ac ymdeimlad o berthyn.

Benefits

We take development seriously and want to enable you to build a successful career with the IMA. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing.

You’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits: 

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• Flexible working options, including flexi time
• 25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 8 public holidays. This will be complimented by one privilege day entitlement.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Civil Service Pension – a competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution (an average employer contribution of 27%) to the cost of your pension. Your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken
• Established reward and recognition scheme for staff
• Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers
• Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle
• Occupational sick pay, employee assistance services and health and wellbeing initiatives such as flu vaccines and health screening.
• We have a range of family-friendly policies, such as part-time working, job sharing, parental leave and career breaks and a range of leave options for parents. These depend on business needs, but our aim is to help you achieve a positive work-life balance.