About the job

Job summary

About the Government Legal Department

From energy to security, health to human rights, we help the Government deliver life changing law for citizens.

The Government Legal Department is the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters that are frequently scrutinised in Parliament and the media. Our work includes:

• Developing and drafting legislation
• Providing legal advice on policies
• Securing our economic and trade relationships
• Ensuring value from commercial contracts worth billions of pounds
• Providing the Civil Service’s employment law advice

We are at the heart of delivering the Government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department, sponsored by the Attorney General. We are headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary and employ nearly 3000 people, including over 2000 legal professionals. Our offices include London, Leeds, Bristol, Croydon and Manchester as well as overseas. We provide specialist legal services including Litigation, Employment and Commercial Law as well as advising most Government Departments on the policies and services they deliver.

GLD also depends on a range of vital corporate services. These are essential to the smooth and efficient running of the Department and provide the foundation to enable GLD to deliver outstanding legal services. Our corporate functions include Strategy, HR, Finance, Digital, Data and Technology, Communications, Security, Commercial and Project delivery. 

Our vision is to be an outstanding legal organisation and a brilliant place to work where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. This is an exciting time for GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.  

To find out more about what we do visit the Government Legal Department’s webpage or have a look at this short film which showcases the breadth of work government lawyers and legal trainees are involved in.

Job description

About the Litigation Group 

The Litigation Group currently comprises four divisions with over 750 staff based in Bristol, Leeds, London and Manchester. GLD Litigation lawyers conduct public and private law litigation on behalf of Government in a wide range of often high-profile cases, frequently involving questions of constitutional importance. As the largest unit within GLD, delivering for clients across Government on a daily basis, handling thousands of cases and interacting with the courts, counsel and other litigants, Litigation Group is key to delivering GLD’s core purpose, vision and strategic outcomes.

The actions and decisions of Government are under increasing scrutiny and challenge. COVID-19, Brexit and the future partnership, military action overseas, immigration policy, welfare, climate change and energy policy are just a few of the issues that generate legal challenges that can hit the headlines. Litigation lawyers cover a full range of judicial review challenges in areas such as immigration, planning and national security as well as the Government’s wide ranging reform agenda. Litigation Group also has a large private law practice representing large Government departments such as the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in personal injury, clinical negligence, misfeasance in public office, false imprisonment, and other claims. Litigation lawyers also provide expert representation in relation to inquests and public inquiries. They regularly litigate through the higher courts to the Supreme Court and handle cases at the forefront of the developing law.

Litigation Group comprises four divisions:

Covid Inquiry Division

The Covid Inquiry Division is made up of four teams, amounting to around 70 lawyers, paralegals and business support colleagues. The Division is responsible for leading and co-ordinating the Government’s response and assistance to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, including acting for a range of government departments and public bodies including Cabinet Office (CO), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Department for Transport (DfT), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Go Science, the Chief Medical Officer and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Defence and Security Division

The Defence and Security Division is made up of six teams, amounting to around 160 lawyers, paralegals and business support colleagues. The Division is responsible for public and private law litigation, inquest and inquiry work for the Ministry of Defence in two private law teams and one public law team. The Division also handles public law litigation (and some private law litigation) for a range of other government departments and public bodies including the Security and Intelligence Agencies and the UK Intelligence Community, FCDO, National Crime Agency (NCA), Attorney General’s Office (AGO) (including contempt proceedings), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Home Office (non-immigration public law work). We also have a specialist team dealing with private law work for DWP, DfT and National Highways Limited, as well as some Companies Housework. One of our dedicated teams is leading and supporting DHSC’s (and associated ALBs) interests in respect of the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Home Office and Immigration Division

The Home Office and Immigration Division is currently made up of six teams amounting to around 210 people (including lawyers, paralegals and business management colleagues).

The Division is responsible for non-national security, immigration-related public law and private law litigation for the Home Office. The Division handles public law litigation for a range of other government departments and public bodies including DWP, DHSC, CO and DBT, and private law litigation for, amongst others, FCDO, Department for Education (DfE), Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The Division also handles litigation for the Attorney General in support of her public interest functions. It also provides support to departments involved in Inquiries, such as the Horizon Post Office Inquiry, the Brook House Inquiry and several other Inquiries and Reviews.

Justice and Development Division

The Justice and Development Division is currently made up of six teams amounting to around 220 people (including lawyers, costs draftspersons, paralegals and business management colleagues).

The Division is responsible for all public and private law litigation for the Ministry of Justice (including HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS)) as well as public law litigation for: DLUHC (including the Planning Inspectorate (PINS)), DfT, DEFRA, DfE, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), HM Treasury (HMT), Department for Energy and Net Zero (DESNZ), DBT and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Division also has a specialist Costs Team that provides support in relation to costs across all the divisions of Litigation Group as well as the wider GLD and our client departments. The Special Advocates Support Office (SASO) is also part of the Division.

The Role

We are looking for a Deputy Director (DD) to lead our MOJ Public Law and SASO Team, which sits in our Justice and Development Division. The team provides advice and expert litigation services in respect of judicial reviews and other public law claims against the Ministry of Justice (including HM Prison and Probation Service and HM Courts and Tribunals Service), the Department for Education, HM Treasury (including the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation), and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The team is often involved in high-profile cases that raise complex human rights issues, including challenges to conditions of detention, categorization of offenders, decisions on early release and the management of terrorist offenders in the prison and probation systems. In the education sphere the team handles challenges to high profile policies, decisions with respect to the misconduct of teachers and challenges to provision of special educational needs support in schools and support for children in care. The work is hugely varied and interesting.

The Special Advocates Support Office (SASO) is a self-contained part of the team performing a critical role in protecting the rule of law. SASO works closely with the the Attorney General’s Office and support Special Advocates to ensure that litigation that turns on national security-sensitive information can be conducted without infringing the individual’s human rights (through 'closed material procedures' and involvement of Special Advocates). The role does not include the day-to-day oversight of the SASO team which is handled by the other part of the Jobshare.

The team consists of approximately 29 lawyers, 3 legal trainees, and 4 paralegals, assisted by a team of 10 business management staff.

The role on offer is as part of a jobshare, with the vacancy currently filled on a temporary promotion basis. If you wish to discuss the jobshare element further before applying for the role, please contact Gary.Howard@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Person specification

Behaviours

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you provide evidence and examples of proven experience of these selection criteria. Below are details of the essential criteria from the Civil Service Success Profiles that make up this role (Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

Legal Professional Skills:

- The capability to help lead a legal function, managing legal risk

- The ability to think creatively and a track record of giving authoritative risk-based legal advice that facilitates practical solutions

- Brings wider legal experience and knowledge to bear

Leadership:

- Remain visible and approachable to all colleagues and stakeholders

- Display passion and enthusiasm for the work, helping to inspire colleagues and stakeholders to fully engage with the aims and long-term vision

- Work with SLT members to influence the strategy, direction and culture to increase effectiveness

Working Together:

- Drive an inclusive and collaborative working culture which values diversity and encourages, openness, approachability, and sensitivity

- Proactively create, maintain and promote a strong network of contacts across the organisation and externally

- Create a culture where bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable

Managing a Quality Service:

- Work collaboratively with customers and delivery partners to manage, monitor and deliver agreed outcomes

- Identify areas for improvement and make appropriate changes to reach professional excellence

- Ensure risks are monitored and managed to prevent issues with service delivery wherever possible

Communicating and Influencing:

- Communicate in a straightforward, honest and truthful way with consideration for the impact of the method used

- Respect and consider the diversity of the audience when giving messages and deliver these appropriately

- Influence external partners, stakeholders and customers successfully securing mutually beneficial outcomes

Desirable:

- Experience and/or good understanding of public law litigation.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, Government Legal Department contributes £20,250 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the advertisement listed for this role. This should be completed no later than 11.55pm on 25 March 2024:

1.An online CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years, as part of the online application form. This will be used to assess Legal Professional Skills, Leadership and Working Together as set out in the Person Specification. CV will be scored.

2.A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1250 words) outlining why you want the role and how you have demonstrated the behaviours of Legal Professional Skills, Leadership and Working Together as listed in the person specification.

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say'. The information you provide when submitting your application will help us monitor our progress towards the Civil Service becoming an inclusive employer and a great place to work. See the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for more information or go to Equality and Diversity

Should you encounter any issues with your online application or are unable to apply online please contact Marthasia.Mboya@Governmentlegal.gov.uk.

Selection Panels

The selection panel for this campaign will be:

- Gary Howard

- TBC

- TBC

Shortlist

You will receive an acknowledgment of your application through the online process.

The panel will then assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the ‘Person Specification’ section. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application.

Assessments

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a staff engagement exercise.

This assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview. Full details of the assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates at the earliest opportunity.

Informal Conversations

Shortlisted candidates will also have the opportunity to speak to the vacancy holder, Gary Howard, prior to the final interview to learn more about the role and the organisation. Please note this is an optional part of the process, not part of the formal assessment process.

Staff Engagement Exercise (SEE)

If you are shortlisted, you will be then be asked to take part in a staff engagement exercise. This will take place by video link. This SEE assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview. Full details of the SEE assessment process will be provided to shortlisted candidates at the earliest opportunity.

Interview

You will be asked to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to Legal professional Skills, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing and Working Together criteria set out in the Person Specification.

As part of this interview candidates will be required to deliver a short 5-minute presentation, and the title of that presentation will be confirmed at the time of notification of being shortlisted to interview and it will be assessed against the Legal Professional Skills and Managing a Quality Service criteria set out in the person specification.

Interviews will take place remotely. Full details of the interview format will be provided to shortlisted candidates prior to interview.

Offer, Feedback and Reserve List

The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, and all candidates will be advised of selection decisions as soon as possible thereafter.

We are not able to offer feedback to candidates not selected at shortlist stage. Shortlisted candidates who attend an interview will also be offered written / verbal feedback from a member of the interview panel.

We appoint in strict order of merit. If you meet the minimum criteria for this position but are not successful for a post, you will be placed on the reserve list for up to 12 months.  We then may contact you to see if you are interested in a post at the same, or a lower grade, in GLD should one arise.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.