About the job

Job summary

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it’s really like to work at HMRC.

   

Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.

About SOLS

HMRC Solicitor’s Office and Legal Service (SOLS) gives legal advice on issues arising from HMRC’s work and conducts HMRC’s litigation. Our work impacts the lives of millions, as we help to collect the money that pays for the UK’s public services and provide targeted financial support to families and individuals. We have around 1450 people including lawyers, tax professionals, advocates, paralegals and administrators. Our strength is in our diverse people and the inclusive working culture that brings us together.

We advise on domestic, international and EU law relating to all UK taxes and customs, as well as commercial law. This includes:

The conduct of litigation:

- Working with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to produce primary legislation;

- Drafting statutory instruments and other legal documents; and,

- Advising on operational matters, policy development and implementation.

There are a number of other professions represented within SOLS – for example tax professionals who conduct reviews of decisions made by HMRC and conduct some litigation, accountants who provide services to HMRC. In addition, SOLS deals with Ministerial Correspondence and Freedom of Information requests for HMRC.

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to work for HMRC Solicitor's Office and Legal Services (SOLS) while training to be a solicitor. You can expect to be fully involved in a range of interesting legal work and receive high quality training in a supportive and inclusive working environment, culminating in a solicitor role upon successful qualification.

This is an alternative to the traditional qualification route and will suit candidates who haven’t completed the Legal Practice Course or any SQE1 or SQE2 learning (including preparatory learning) as part of a standalone programme or as part of  masters’ or undergraduate programme in the last 5 years and want to work while studying.

The apprenticeship is a fully funded training route to qualification, during which you will study for and undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE1 and SQE2), while compiling a portfolio of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).

The apprenticeship comprises a 30-month external training programme provided by BPP and funded by the Apprenticeship Levy alongside 3 years of work experience in SOLS. You will be required to refresh your learning if your law degree is more than 5 years old. The training programme will be provided via a digital learning platform and study leave will be in line with Education and Skills Funding Authority requirements. As an apprentice, you can expect to spend 20% of your working time studying and the rest of it working. Applicants should be aware of the rigor of the qualifications and be prepared to study in their own time.

Both graduate and non-graduate apprentices will start at Band O as the work at this level matches the requirements of the apprenticeship. If you are a Civil Servant and currently a higher grade than Executive Officer, in applying for this role you will be opting to voluntarily downgrade if you are successful securing a place. This would be a permanent change to your terms and conditions and Band O would become your substantive grade.

Following a year working in one of our paralegal teams (at Executive Officer grade), and subject to meeting the requirements of the role and qualification at each stage (based on exemption status), apprentices will progress, in line with our trainee solicitors, as follows -

- Years 2 and 3: apprentices will undertake placements in various legal teams (litigation and advisory) in SOLS (at Higher Officer grade).

- Apprentices will qualify as solicitors and move to a permanent role in one of the legal teams in SOLS (at Legal Officer [SEO] grade).

 After one year post qualification as a Legal Officer there will be the opportunity for progression to Grade 7.


The work tasks allocated to apprentices will vary as you progress through your studies and the teams that you work with. As you progress through your qualifications, you will be involved in more complex tasks, providing a wide range of suitable work experience, building skills and experience.

We are keen to help all our people succeed and will work to support you during the scheme. If you fail to complete the apprenticeship, we will try and find you a role at the grade you reached during your time on the scheme. You will not automatically revert to a previous grade.

Your responsibilities will vary over your time on the apprenticeship and may include, but not be limited to:

Administrative tasks such as:
    • Drafting and sending case correspondence
    • Identifying relevant documents and produce bundles
    • Providing legal support to experienced senior colleagues on complex cases

• Undertaking legal and other research
• Under supervision drafting and serving documents in litigation cases
• Under supervision providing legal advice on cases and policy development
• Under supervision drafting secondary legislation
• Preparing case summaries and chronologies
• Updating internal case management systems and document storage and management systems
• Attending Tribunal and court hearings where required
• Providing legal support to experienced senior colleagues on complex cases
• Contributing to training and assisting with knowledge management

You will be required to manage the above responsibilities alongside your studies and be prepared to study in your own time.

Person specification

Applicants will:

• Have strong analytical skills.
• Enjoy finding creative solutions to problems and using these solutions to inform decisions.
• Be committed to a career as a Government lawyer, specifically within HMRC SOLS.
• Have the ability to balance work and study (some studying will need to be undertaken in your own time.)
• Have exceptional communication skills and be able to use clear and concise language to convey your opinions and ideas, including making best use of digital resources.
• Have good interpersonal skills and be comfortable dealing with others.
• Have excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.
• Be motivated, have excellent time management and prioritisation skills and be able to adapt to changing priorities whilst adhering to strict deadlines.

Please note: If you hold an LPC or LLM with LPC or have previously studied SQE1 or SQE2 learning (including preparation courses) as a standalone programme or as part of  masters’ or undergraduate programme in the last 5 years, you will not be eligible to apply. This is because applicants need to demonstrate that, based on their current experience and qualification level, an apprenticeship will provide them with significant new learning, skills and behaviours.

To assess your eligibility for the apprenticeship, the learning provider will conduct some initial checks before HMRC can confirm your successful offer onto this apprenticeship. This will require HMRC sharing your contact details with the learning provider who will contact you directly. Information is gathered in accordance with the Education and Skills Funding Authority (ESFA) guidance.

Essential Criteria:

Five (5) GCSEs between A* - C (9-4) (or equivalent) Including Maths and English

PLUS

1. a minimum 2:2 English Law degree

 OR

2. a 2:2 non-law degree PLUS a pass on an English law conversion course

OR

3. CILEx level 6 qualification**

The Law degree or conversion course must have been completed within 5 years of  the start of the programme.**

Qualifying law degree must be recognised in the UK, the non-law degree can be international. GDL / PGDL or CPE must be recognised in the UK.

** Applicants whose law degree is older than 5 years, and those who have completed CILEx level 6, will study a 6-month asynchronous study and gateway before joining the graduate apprenticeship.

Desirable Criteria:

Office based work experience.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,341, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £7,652 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Stage 1

Short application.

Stage 2

Applicants will complete an online Civil Service Verbal reasoning test. If you achieve the required pass mark, you will be invited to complete an online Civil Service Judgement test, progressing to a Civil Service Work Strengths test.

Stage 3

If you meet all required pass marks, you will be invited to submit an application. Your application should include:

- A CV covering your work experience (with a maximum 100 words per role) and details to demonstrate you have attained all the essential qualifications detailed above.

- A 750-word Statement of Suitability where you should set out your motivation and passion for a career in law, explaining why you want to be a Government lawyer and a solicitor apprentice, how you will balance work and studies and describe your relevant skills and knowledge.

While candidates are encouraged to make full use of the word count, they will not be penalised if they choose to use fewer provided the cover all of the points above.

- A 250-word Behaviour Statement on Working Together specifically to include:

o How you have developed or would develop a range of contacts outside your immediate network and identify opportunities to share knowledge, information and learning.
o How you do/would ensure that you obtain and take account of all relevant information, including how you have or would create an inclusive environment where all opinions and challenges are listened to and all individual needs are taken into account.
o How you have approached or would approach projects to ensure effective cooperation in order to achieve results.

A candidate session on how to best to apply will be held on the 2nd of August 2024 at 12:00 - 13:00 via teams. 

If you would like to attend this, please contact:- recruitmentteam.sols@hmrc.gov.uk, quoting “361612 – candidate’s session" in the heading of your email by 11 am on the 2nd of August to ensure you receive an invitation.

Stage 4

Sift

- There will be an essential criteria sift, candidates who do not evidence the required qualifications will be rejected.

- An initial sift will then assess your CV and Statement of Suitability, which will be given a combined score.

- Applications progressing to a full sift will be assessed on the (Working Together) Behaviour Statement.

Successful candidates will be offered an interview.

Stage 5

The interview process will include a presentation and questions relating to motivational fit and the following Civil Service Behaviours:

- Making Effective Decisions (lead behaviour);

- Communicating and Influencing; and

- Delivering at Pace.

Further information about the presentation will be provided to successful candidates in due course.

Interviews will take place in early September and candidates will be required to provide evidence of their qualifications at the interview.

Stage 6

Provisional offers will be made by the end of September with successful candidates joining HMRC late 2024 to begin their apprenticeship in January 2025.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake, please contact us via: ubsrecruitmentexcellence@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]’

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 6 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles – if this applies to you, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, merit lists will be created for each location advertised within the vacancy. If you are successful at interview, you will be placed on the merit list for any locations you have expressed an interest for. Appointments from each merit list will be made in strict merit order.

- We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process in order to manage numbers.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact the UBS Recruitment Excellence Team via ubsrecruitmentexcellence@hmrc.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.
Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.