https://www.pdso.org.uk/about-pdso/traineeships-and-work-based-learning/
https://www.pdso.org.uk/about-pdso/traineeships-and-work-based-learning/
The Public Defence Solicitors’ Office (PDSO) is taking steps to promote the personal and professional rewards that a career in legally aided criminal defence work can offer.
The aim is to help attract talent into this critically important area of law, which can fundamentally change clients’ lives for the better.
PDSO is part of the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s (SLAB’s) Client Legal Services directorate, which also includes the Civil Legal Assistance Office (CLAO) and the Solicitor Contact Line (SCL).
We see PDSO and CLAO as having a useful role in providing sound training for solicitors to then choose their own professional pathways.
Traineeships and vacancies for practising solicitors based in various locations around Scotland are advertised on our website when they arise.
As Scotland’s largest provider of legally aided advice and representation, the CLS directorate is in an excellent position to offer experience of civil and criminal law.
We recently introduced a new traineeship in both civil and criminal law.
CLS trainees split their time principally between CLAO and PDSO, joining other SLAB directorates for shorter placements to learn more about the operation of the wider legal aid system.
It is expected that this multi-disciplinary training programme will open up a wider range of post-qualifying career opportunities, both in SLAB and in the wider profession.
Media coverage: See an article on our traineeships in the Law Society of Scotland’s Journal – SLAB trainee solicitors embark on new-look civil-criminal traineeships
Making criminal work appealing to young solicitors is undoubtedly a challenge given the increasingly negative view of legally aided criminal defence work over recent years, with two recurring themes being salary and the workload/work-life balance.
Over the past two years we have been actively promoting the personal and professional rewards that a career in legally aided criminal defence work can offer.
Through a mixture of work-based learning opportunities we have given a growing number of law students first-hand insights into working in legally aided criminal defence.
The intention is to embed the appeal of criminal work at an earlier stage in aspiring solicitors’ development – and make a meaningful contribution to attracting talent into this critically important area of law.
PDSO can offer law students valuable practical experience in two specific ways:
Internships, traineeships and roles for qualified solicitors based in various locations around Scotland are advertised on our website when vacancies arise.
We are also committed to providing shadowing when capacity allows.
Enquiries and requests can be made to: clstraining@slab.org.uk.
