Sheriff Clerk & Scottish Court Service Legal Jobs

Sheriff Clerks work for the Scottish Court Service where they assigned to one of the 49 Sheriff Courts in Scotland. 

A Sheriff Clerk’s jobs can be extremely varied and the scope of the role largely depends on the size of the Scottish Court in which the Sheriff Clerk works. Sheriff Clerks and their staff are responsible for the efficient day-to-day running of the Court, including programming Court business.
However, Sheriff Clerks will also deal with all aspects of work within the Court, including simple debt actions, minor criminal offences, complex civil cases and serious criminal offences heard before a Sheriff and Jury.

Personal qualities and skills

In a role where no two days are the same, Sheriff Clerks need to enjoy variety in their everyday role, be motivated by a challenge and be committed to delivering a high level of customer service.

Sheriff Clerks also need to be comfortable with using new technologies and software, have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to relate to all types of people. Having leadership skills, an open mind and an interested in the law are also desirable traits.

Working hours and salary

Sheriff Clerks can expect to work between 35 – 45 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Standard working hours for Sheriff Clerk jobs are 9am to 5.30pm with much of this time split between the office and court – although this will vary week to week and case by case.

As with most sectors, salaries are dependent on your experience levels. New entrants to the sector can expect to earn around £15,000 per annum, while more senior Sherriff Clerk staff can up upwards of £50,000 per annum.

Build a career

Becoming a Sheriff Clerk is a great career move and can suit a range of people. While Sheriff Clerks possess specialised knowledge, there is no minimum entry requirement to become a Sheriff Clerk, although a degree does make oneself more marketable and hireable. Graduates will often join as part of a fast-track scheme to where they start as a Sheriff Clerk’s Deputy.

For school leavers, passes in S grade (1-3) Maths and English would be useful. School leavers who join the Sheriff Clerk programme traditionally begin as an Administrator Officer before working their way up to Sheriff Clerk.

Once a part of the Scottish Court Service, the career path for Sheriff Clerks is very structured with appropriate training and development programmes offered internally and externally. The majority of Sheriff Clerks stay within the Scottish Court Service and develop a long-term career by moving into Senior Sheriff Clerk position or, with relevant experience, move into another business function within the Courts.

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