Trainee Solicitor

Team / Directorate: Legal Services / Corporate Strategy and Development

Starting salary:  £25,898 rising to £26,909 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)

Contract type: Permanent

Work pattern: Full time 37 hours per week (Part time, annualised hours, compressed hours or term time working considered - discussions at interview stage welcome)

Interview date: 12 June 2025

Post number: 203620

The role

This is a two-year placement role for a Legal Trainee who has completed the Legal Practice Course and who is looking for a legal traineeship to qualify as a solicitor. The successful candidate will experience all of the work that NRW's legal team undertake including commercial work, property work, litigation, prosecution and regulatory work and develop all the skills to qualify as a solicitor.

Under the direction of the Training Principle, you will support the Legal team’s delivery of work across all areas of NRW. This will include:

• Assisting with producing case schedules and managing case files and notes.
• Supporting colleagues with drafting paperwork, taking notes and dictation and other documentation to develop oral and written communication skills.
• Developing skills regarding advocacy and oral presentation and dispute resolution through observing proceedings, supporting with presentations and helping to prepare cases.
• Assisting with drafting of documentation and with legal research in relation to NRW work areas.
• Observing and in time developing and practicing negotiation and interviewing techniques through supported/facilitated practice.
• Developing your professional relationships and professionalism, ethics and judgement through participating in work as part of a professional legal team.
• Developing time management and work management strategies including use of ICT systems to manage records and documentation.

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Sarah Asbrey at sarah.asbrey@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk  

Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.

Successful external applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. We aim to make offers of appointment within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

About us

NRW is Wales' largest environmental body.  Our purpose is to pursue the sustainable management of natural resources.  The legal team assist all areas of NRW's work.

What you will do

• Support delivery of work plans, created by the team, which contributes towards the delivery of business plans.
• Conduct legal research and produce and maintain records and information in line with regulations/legislation and agreed standards.
• Undertake the professional skills course.
• Participate in team meetings.
• Participate in external meetings with other members of the team.
• Interact with peers in other NRW teams.
• Other work as directed by the line manager
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post
• Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills

In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.

You will have:

1. Completed a relevant degree and Legal Practice Course and be ready to commence your training contract by October 2025.
2. Good communication and inter-personal skills with a customer focus. Ability to build effective working relationship with colleagues and partners.
3. Good ICT skills (essential).
4. Full UK driving licence (desirable)

Welsh language level requirements

• Essential:   Level A1 – able to pronounce Welsh and use basic phrases

Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Benefits 

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
• generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
• commitment to professional development
• health and wellbeing benefits and support
• weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

Please keep reading

If you think you have what it takes to do this role, but don’t necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please still get in touch and we will be happy to discuss the role with you in more detail.

We’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of disability, neurodivergence, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, gender expression and gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, culture, or religion.   We put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.

We are committed to equal opportunities and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.

We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.  

We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards.  Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills. 

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