Alesia Kazantceva on Unsplash
By Tim Daglish, law student
This summer, I completed a 12-week placement at His Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice responsible for administering the criminal, civil, and family courts in England and Wales, as well as tribunals across the UK.
As a law student at the end of my penultimate year, it was an invaluable opportunity to contribute to meaningful work and gain a deeper understanding of how the justice system operates in practice.
Here's what I learned from the internship…
It’s OK to get imposter syndrome
Any period of work experience will feel daunting at first. I was particularly nervous about not having prior experience in the sector, not knowing how the processes worked and being completely new to a large and settled department. But it is imperative to remember that any position on an internship has been earned, and these feelings are natural and are indicative of a desire to succeed.
Learning and development is crucial
The internship began with two weeks of induction and training, which made it clear that self-development is central to the Civil Service Code. Alongside structured opportunities, I also took initiative to grow my skills independently.
Through the Civil Service learning platforms, I accessed a wide range of courses on personal and professional topics. Being proactive with my free time helped me make the most of the experience. This is one of my biggest recommendations for anyone undertaking a placement, particularly at an organisation that has resources that can help your professional development
Judicial change is continuous
Interns were challenged to approach every task with a critical eye, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. In my department, an ongoing digitalisation project highlighted how the justice system continually evolves to better serve the public.
What stood out to me was how open the Civil Service is to ideas for change - from administrative officers to judges, everyone’s perspective is valued.
Communication can both be professional and empathetic
My role involved direct correspondence with parties, judges, and other stakeholders involved in the lifecycle of a case. I rapidly learned how to adapt my communication to balance professionalism with empathy.
Over the summer, my confidence in managing case directions grew significantly - a skill that’s not only transferable to my future career but also improved my academic writing, helping it become more concise and purposeful.
Your network is your net worth
This lesson applies to any placement or career-related endeavour. By taking the initiative to speak with colleagues about their career paths and attending organised networking sessions, I built meaningful professional relationships.
Beyond my internship, I’ve continued to strengthen these networking skills as I explore future career options. It is important to see networking as a tool that can continuously be utilised, and potentially leads on to further opportunity and learning.
The Civil Service offers massive opportunity
During the internship, we heard from civil servants at various stages of their careers. I was struck by how multi-faceted the organisation is - even within the Ministry of Justice alone, there are opportunities spanning policy, business, human resources, and legal services.
Hearing from legal officers, delivery directors, and current fast streamers broadened my perspective and sparked a potential interest in pursuing the Civil Service Fast Stream in the future.
My placement with HMCTS was an incredible experience to get hands-on experience in the Civil Service prior to graduation.
If you’re interested in building your experience through placement opportunities and developing transferable skills to boost your CV, visit the ‘What can I do?’ page on the Careers and Employability Service website today.
Posted on Thursday 9th October 2025