Court administrative officer

Tina Jackson is an administrative officer for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). She provides casework and general administrative assistance to the prosecution team. Acting as a point of contact for the unit, Tina deals with enquiries and correspondence in a professional and courteous manner.

What does your job as a court administrative officer involve?

My job involves producing court lists and preparing files for court, liaising with prosecutors, other caseworkers and criminal justice agencies, sorting and interpreting incoming files and taking the necessary action with urgent cases. I deal with telephone enquiries and correspondence. I am also a point of contact for clients and prepare forms for the payment of fees for counsel.

What kind of files do you deal with?

They are all crime files, for example, summons files, advice files and traffic files.

What hours do you work?

I'm able to work flexible hours which I enjoy, as it gives me more freedom to organise my time.

Who do you work with?

I work closely with the team of crown prosecution solicitors, and I liaise with police departments such as the witness liaison team and case file co-ordinators. I also speak to people from other departments, such as the probation service.

Do you have to go into courtrooms?

Sometimes, although most of my time is spent in the office, updating files on the computer, photocopying and contacting people by e-mail, telephone or fax.

What was your route into your job as a court administrative officer?

When I left school, I was very interested in a law career. I ended up taking a business studies course and worked for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) as an administrative officer. However, when I saw this job advertised four years ago, I realised that I was still interested in working in a legal environment and decided to go for it.

What kind of training have you had?

I have had in-house training for the computer systems that we use and diversity training. I am currently being sponsored through my Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) course. This means that the CPS pays for my training and allows me to take study leave to revise for the exams.

What are the skills needed for your role?

You need to be able to meet targets, prioritise your work and manage your own time effectively. You should be able to prepare and structure written correspondence. It's also important to work well in a team.

What are your long-term career goals?

This year I want to pass my Level 3 ILEX exam. My long-term plan is to continue studying to be a crown prosecutor. I feel very lucky that I'm in a job where I am given the opportunity to progress.

Tina's route to her job as a court administrative officer

GCSEs.
GNVQ in Business Studies.
Worked for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in an administrative role.
In-house training with CPS.
Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) qualification.

Tina's administrative officer tips

You have to be a good communicator and team player. This job is about bringing together a lot of different people and compiling information.
Being able to work to deadlines is important – a court hearing needs the right information at the right time in order to proceed smoothly.