THURROCK is one of three local councils who are appealing for young and eager legal eagles seeking work experience to get in touch.

Thurrock and Barking and Dagenham councils operate a shared legal service and, since 2006, Thurrock Council has helped well over 20 young people through legal internships.

Now, through its shared legal team which also delivers the legal service for Brentwood Council, the offer is being made across an even wider area.

Fiona Taylor, the councils’ Head of Legal Services said: “We are happy to offer a three-month internship for volunteers who have finished their law degree, but haven’t yet found a training placement.

“You could be based in one of our three legal teams in Grays, Dagenham or Brentwood civic offices.

“This is a chance for young people to learn, hands-on, about some of the work we do - from planning to criminal law, and many other areas too many to mention.”

And David Lawson, Thurrock Council’s Monitoring Officer and deputy Head of Legal added: “We have a long-established training programme going back to 2006 which so far has always led to employment opportunities for those who take part.”

“We feel the sheer range of practice areas undertaken by public sector lawyers and the size, commercial value and importance of those transactions make the average small or medium-sized private practice a far less attractive option.

“We are offering the experience people need to find a job.

“The shared legal service also has a number of external public sector clients so this is a great opportunity to gain valuable legal experience and work in an award-winning and Law Society Lexcel-approved service.”

The scheme is aimed principally at law and/or legal practice course graduates who wish to acquire practical and hands-on legal skills to aid their search for permanent position and progress their legal career - more information will soon be available on www.BDTLegal.com The joint legal service has about 60 lawyers specialising in criminal, civil, employment and commercial litigation; child and adult protection, education, planning, major regeneration, housing, environment, highways, property, licensing, contracts, procurement and corporate governance law.

Anyone interested in the three-month internship should contact in the first instance Ms Pui Yee Poon, Legal Support PuiYee.Poon@BDTLegal.org.uk