Advocates' clerks organise the daily workload and administration for a small group of Advocates (known as a 'stable').
The Work
Your work will depend on how senior you are.
You could be:
organising Advocates' paperwork and planning their schedules
helping advocates to prepare cases, by doing research
arranging meetings with solicitors and clients
going to court with Advocates, with books and papers relevant to the case
recommending an Advocate suitable for a particular case
managing the practice as a business by keeping diaries and recruiting and training junior clerks
negotiating fees for Advocates
filing, photocopying, answering the phone, posting invoices, collecting fees and keeping financial records
organising and classifying items in the library.
Pay
The figures below are only a guide. Actual pay rates may vary, depending on:
where you work
the size of the organisation you work for
the demand for the job.
Advocates' clerk salaries aren't always advertised publicly, but starting salaries are around £28,000 a year. This will rise with experience to around £45,000 a year or more.
Conditions
Most Advocates' clerks work in offices in the Advocates' Library in Parliament House in Edinburgh. A small number work in Glasgow.
You may travel to courts around the country.
Your standard working hours would be 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday, although hours can be irregular.
You may have to work evenings and weekends, when your Advocates are working on a complex case or when deadlines are tight.
You have to dress formally, usually in a dark suit.
You would start as an assistant deputy or deputy Advocates' clerk.
The minimum entry requirement is Higher English. However, many stables prefer you to have 3 or more Highers, including English.
Increasing numbers of entrants have a degree in law, legal studies or politics.
For entry to a degree course, you normally need 4-5 Highers. Higher English is usually required, and for some courses you may need Maths at National 5. However, entry requirements can vary considerably among universities and colleges and you should check the details in the relevant prospectuses.
You may need previous experience in an administrative role.
Advocates' clerks usually work for Faculty Services Ltd (FSL), a company providing support services to Advocates. There are 9 FSL stables based in Parliament House in Edinburgh. A stable usually has one Advocate's clerk and at least one deputy clerk. There are also advocates that do not subscribe to the FSL clerking services, but may practise with or without a clerk.
What Does it Take?
You need to have:
good written and spoken communication skills
good concentration
a polite, professional and helpful manner
patience and perseverance
excellent organisational skills
good problem solving skills
good IT skills
respect for confidentiality
sound judgement.
You also need to be:
able to work well under pressure and to deadlines
a good negotiator
attentive to detail
good with numbers.
Training
You would train on the job under the supervision of an experienced clerk.
You may attend short training courses and seminars from time to time.
Getting On
As you gain experience and develop your skills, your duties increase and you may be able to move on to become an Advocate's clerk or practice manager.
As part of your ongoing training you would probably take short courses run by Faculty Services Ltd.
