Football club seeks student for ‘Head of Legal’ role
On voluntary basis

Aspiring lawyers seeking to take their first tentative steps on the career ladder may wish to consider this new opportunity courtesy of Avro Football Club.
The Oldham-based semi-pro side is seeking a “trainee/student or experienced individual” for the newly-created role of “Junior Solicitor / Head of Legal”, according to a job ad shared to LinkedIn.
The post goes on to say that the successful candidate — who at least in theory could still be grappling with the SQE — will provide “key legal and regulatory support” to staff in different areas of the club.
Responsibilities for the fresh-faced legal eagle include: “Assisting in the drafting, review, and negotiation of Commercial and Partnership Agreements”, “Drafting and enforcement of Rules and Regulations and/or Terms & Conditions” and “Drafting policies and procedures for different areas across the business”.
The role would suit an “experienced individual” looking to support a football club or “student/trainee solicitor looking for experience within the field”.
The ad states that although the role is voluntary, “reasonable and agreed expenses will be paid”.
Check it out in full here.
5 Comments
Dongle Princeps
If you have the knowledge, why not? The Legal Services Act lets lay people including law students give legal advice for unreserved areas of law.
The Football Club would be probably better off than they are now, where no one has a legal background.
A sensationalist headline and article for something uncontroversial.
Cray cray
I think the controversy they should have highlighted is the fact it’s a “voluntary” aka unpaid role. How can they expect someone to handle all legal work for them for free. What sort of quality would they expect here. Have they even thought about things like professional indemnity. Crazy.
Anon
Please read this link by NCVO – there is very little volunteers can do to tackle bullying or bad behaviour in an office without an employment contract.
https://www.ncvo.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/if-volunteering-goes-wrong/#/
It is not unreasonable to prefer to take on paid legal work for more than the money involved.
Ever Heard A Twitter KC Mention This?
Volunteers can’t access an employment tribunal in the same way an employee could if they experience any problems at work.
They literally don’t have ‘access to justice’. That’s 22 million volunteers in the UK who have no protection from discrimination legislation beyond what their manager feels like doing that day.
This is the real problem with all unpaid legal roles.
Holden Owt
Going around calling yourself a ‘Junior solicitor’ before you’ve qualified is not a good idea either, under ss.20 & 21 of the Solicitors Act 1974.
Comments are closed.