Career Insight: Jake, Legal Trainee, National Crime Agency
Jake provides an insight into his training contract within the National Crime Agency
Jake is a Trainee Solicitor in the National Crime Agency (NCA). Here he discusses his experiences so far.
“NCA Legal exists to assist our officers in detecting and tackling organised and serious crime. Typically, NCA recruits one or two legal trainees each year.
NCA’s legal trainees are given early responsibility.
Working in the Data and Operations Team I am on the ‘front line’, which means that I receive phone calls about live operations and urgent needs. I have been involved in a Judicial Review, arranged my own sifts in respect of legal professional privilege and attended meetings as a representative of the team. I am trusted to organise my own calendar around the needs of the team and those cases and issues allocated to me.
Some days have involved organising meetings to discuss the Orders available against suspected offenders and others. They have also included drafting agreements between the NCA and other government bodies or external third parties.
My work is so varied that there is no average day. I can be discussing the impact of human rights issues in relation to a particular investigation one day. Then the requirements of disclosure on an internal policy the next.
You are supported every step of the way in the NCA. Not only do you have a supervisor who is there to help and guide you but you also work very closely with your team. Regularly you will voice your opinion on an issue another lawyer is facing and come to a solution together.
The team also make an effort to involve me as much as possible on areas I might not otherwise have chance to experience. Whether that be meetings on Home Office briefings or writing an urgent response to Parliament. As a result, no two days are the same and every day provides new challenges.”