Working for us

Our people are important to us

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Joining SLAB means becoming part of an organisation where every individual, regardless of role or responsibilities, is valued and treated with fairness, dignity, and respect.

Legal aid is a dynamic and evolving field. Our environment is both challenging and rewarding as we play a key role in the justice system, supporting the courts and ensuring access to justice.

We are committed to continuous improvement, and we seek talented individuals who share our dedication. In return, we provide comprehensive training, good working conditions, and competitive benefits and rewards. Our goal is to be an employer of choice.

What can you expect when working for us?

Rewarding and flexible.

Our employment package offers competitive starting salaries with opportunities for pay progression, providing your performance is good.

We recognise the importance of work-life balance and offer flexible working practices to help you achieve it. Our arrangements allow our teams to determine working patterns to ensure both business and personal needs are met, where possible.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive rewards and benefits package, which includes:

  • Competitive Salaries reflecting the labour market and recognising your skills, experience, and abilities
  • Annual Salary Review in line with Scottish Government Public Sector Pay Policy
  • a full-time 35-hour working week
  • our Flexible Working policy to suit your needs and adapt your work week, where possible
  • Generous Leave Entitlement including 25 days annual leave (increasing with service), nine public holiday days and further access to special leave
  • our defined benefit Pension Scheme (6% of basic salary) and pre-retirement planning support
  • Enhanced Sickness Pay to support you when you are unwell
  • Travel Support with an interest-free annual travel ticket loan
  • a Cycle to Work Scheme to support sustainable commuting
  • Retail and Gym Discounts through access to Edenred discounts for a variety of retail outlets and gyms in your local area
  • our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) featuring a range of confidential support services for personal or work-related issues.

About us

The Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) is a non-departmental public body responsible to Scottish Ministers through the Scottish Government.

We are responsible for managing legal aid in Scotland, which involves helping people who would not otherwise be able to afford it, to get the help of a solicitor, and sometimes an advocate, for their legal problems.

A large part of our job is to decide who should get legal aid. If it is granted, legal aid is used to pay solicitors, counsel (advocates and solicitor advocates), and other costs of the case. The solicitor could be in private practice, employed by SLAB or in a law centre. Our work includes:

Our vision is to provide access to justice for those eligible and in need of it, in a cost-effective manner.

As well as employing the full time equivalent of around 300 staff within SLAB in Edinburgh we employ staff in the Solicitor Contact Line, as well as the Public Defence Solicitors’ Offices (PDSO) and the Civil Legal Assistance Offices (CLAO), throughout Scotland.

The Public Defence Solicitors' Office (PDSO)

Since 1998, the PDSO has provided legal representation to individuals facing criminal charges who qualify for legal aid. With eight offices across Scotland, our experienced solicitors handle cases in all criminal courts, including appeals.

The key objectives of PDSO are to:

  • provide high-quality, independent legal representation
  • uphold the rules of practice and responsibilities as officers of the court
  • operate efficiently and effectively
  • inform and support improvements to the criminal justice system.

Visit the PDSO website.

The Civil Legal Assistance Office (CLAO)

Established in 2001, CLAO is a network of three offices, which cover four geographic locations in Scotland, that helps clients with certain civil legal problems.

CLAO’s collaborative approach also involves working with public, voluntary, and private sector partners to ensure people receive appropriate legal support.

CLAO aim to address unmet legal needs, supporting and helping those who are eligible for civil legal assistance. Our solicitors offer direct casework, support other advisers, deliver training, and contribute to policy development.

Visit the CLAO website.