About the job

Job summary

The Government Legal Department (GLD) 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
• Conducting litigation on behalf of Government

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.

About Litigation Group

The actions and decisions of government are under increasing scrutiny and challenge. Military action overseas, immigration policy, welfare reform, climate change and energy policy are just a few of the issues which generate legal challenges that can hit the headlines.

GLD’s litigation lawyers conduct a wide range of often high-profile cases, frequently involving questions of constitutional importance. Our public law litigation practice covers the full range of judicial review challenges in areas such as justice, health, defence, immigration, planning and national security as well as the Government’s wide ranging reform agenda.

We also have a substantial private law practice representing large Government departments such as the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). These teams deal with high profile group actions, actions under ECHR, personal injury, clinical negligence, misfeasance in public office, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and other claims. Litigation lawyers also provide expert representation in relation to inquests and public inquiries. We regularly litigate through the higher courts to the Supreme Court and offer the opportunity to handle cases at the forefront of the developing law. 

Our litigators manage varied caseloads within a supportive team environment, working alongside counsel from the Attorney General’s Panels. They also play an important co-ordination role when litigation involves cross cutting legal issues for diverse government departments.

Litigation lawyers work closely with policy and advisory legal colleagues in client departments to reduce the exposure to litigation risk and to develop realistic contingency plans when the litigation risk materialises.

Litigation Group comprises four divisions:

Covid Inquiry Division

The Covid Inquiry Division is made up of four teams, amount 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 five teams, amounting to around 150 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 House work. One of our 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) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Division also has a specialist Costs Team that provides supports in relation to costs across all the divisions of Litigation Group. The Special Advocates Support Office (SASO) is also part of the Division.

Job description

The Role

Posts are available in a number of teams within Litigation Group.

Our litigators gain early responsibility for their own caseload within a supportive team environment, working alongside counsel from the Attorney General’s Panels. They also play an important co-ordination role when litigation involves several Government Departments. 

Litigation lawyers work closely with policy colleagues and advisory legal colleagues in client Departments to reduce the exposure to litigation risk and to develop realistic contingency plans when the litigation risk materialises.

As a litigator and dispute resolution specialist you will be involved in:

• conducting litigation on behalf of government
• providing legal advice on litigation, disputes, contentious and some advisory matters, for example intellectual property, across the full range of clients. Litigation experience is an essential requirement
• supporting the Senior Lawyers and Deputy Director for the team in successfully delivering the work of the team
• proactive and collaborative working with external delivery partners; helping to quality control their input, and helping to hold them account for delivery to time, cost and quality in relation to their litigation and disputes work

You will be expected to demonstrate strong communication and leadership skills as well as strong skills of legal and strategic analysis, sound judgement, pragmatism and pro-activity. You will also be expected to make a valuable contribution to the wider team and the department as a whole through playing a proactive role on matters such as knowledge management, training, projects and other corporate opportunities that demonstrate GLD Values.

Person specification

Qualifications – Minimum Eligibility Criteria

Academic and Professional

Applicants should have a minimum of a 2:1 honours degree in their first degree (in any subject). Where an applicant holds an overseas degree qualification this should be equivalent to a 2.1 degree. GLD will consider applicants who do not have a 2.1 degree but only where satisfactory evidence of equivalent high level academic and/or professional achievement can be provided (e.g. via relevant experience and results achieved for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE, Legal Practice Course (LPC), Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)).

Applicants must be qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales however, we also accept applications from overseas qualified candidates. You must have completed a training contract/pupillage/qualifying employment or have been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx.

Please note that candidates cannot apply more than 3 months before their qualification date.

Professional entry criteria for Chartered Legal Executives (i.e. Fellows): Chartered Legal Executives are eligible to apply where (i) a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) is held; or (ii) the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE has been completed; or (iii) where exams have been passed (i.e. a score of 50% or above achieved), at CILEx Level 6*, in all of the following seven foundation subjects in law:

1. Contract Law
2. Criminal Law
3. Equity and Trusts Law
4. European Union Law
5. Land Law
6. Public Law
7. Law of Tort

• Note: There are specific requirements relating to academic achievement in the CILEx Level 6 exams where these are being used to demonstrate 2.1degree equivalence as set out.

Chartered Legal Executives should note that GLD will be willing to accept an, overall, average score of 65% or above across exams passed in the seven foundation subjects in law (where studied at CILEx Level 6) as demonstrating 2.1 degree equivalence (where a 2.1 degree is not held).

Person Specification/Criteria

Behaviours

Below are details of the Success Profile that make up this role.

You will be expected to provide evidence to show how you meet the criteria at interview stage.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust.
• Deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required.
• Explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand.
• Managing a Quality Service
• Demonstrate positive customer service by understanding the complexity and diversity of customer needs and expectations.
• Deliver a high quality, efficient and cost-effective service by considering a broad range of methods for delivery.
• Proactively manage risks and identify solutions.
• Working Together
• Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on shared objectives.
• Challenge assumptions while being willing to compromise if beneficial to progress.
• Create an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are taken into account and bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable.
• Motivational Fit
• We need to know how well our requirements and offerings match your aspirations.
• An understanding of the role of lawyers in Government.
• Please outline why you are motivated to join the Litigation Group in Government Legal Department and how you feel you might contribute effectively to a litigation role with GLD. 

Technical/ Experience

• Legal Professional Skills
• Sound understanding of public law.
• Reliable legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk.
• Litigation experience is an essential requirement.
• The ability to think strategically and creatively, see legal issues in their wider context and advise accordingly.
• Sound analysis, using secure legal research to produce timely and fit-for-purpose advice.
• The ability to communicate advice effectively both in writing and orally.

 Desirable Criteria

• Experience working in litigation or national security roles

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £50,455, Government Legal Department contributes £13,622 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

Selection Process

After the closing date, the appointing panel shall assess candidates’ suitability for the role based on evidence provided in their application against the behaviours and experience outlined in the person specification.

Application

To apply for this position, all applicants will be required to complete an online career history, which shows your work experience (this is not scored).

Candidates need to provide a Statement of Suitability of no more than 1250 words to cover the three areas set out below in their statement:

1) Technical – Legal Professional Skills

2) Motivational Fit

3) Behaviour – Communicating and Influencing

Your application should demonstrate how you meet the criteria for the post, with relevant examples. It will not be sufficient to reiterate the criteria; you are expected to illustrate how you have met the requirements.

Interview

Should you be successful in being invited to interview, you will be assessed on your performance in all essential criteria as listed in the Person Specification.

This will include a written exercise on a legal topic to be completed 1 week before your interview commences. You will also be asked to conduct a 5-minute oral presentation at interview which will assess your Legal Professional Skills, Communicating and Influencing and Managing a Quality Service. In addition to this you will be asked scenario and strength-based questions. Prior to the interview candidates will be given time to prepare and further information.

• Behaviour: Communicating and Influencing
• Behaviour: Managing a Quality Service
• Behaviour: Working Together
• Motivational Fit
• Technical: Legal Professional Skills
• Experience

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Interviews will take place remotely via video conference, full details of the interview format will be provided to shortlisted candidates prior to interview but outline details are included on p.13 of this pack. The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, and all shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.

Offer

Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible after the final interview. 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.

Please note, Applicants may only apply once for the whole campaign between Monday 21st August 2023 to Monday 5th February 2024, repeat applications are not permitted from the very beginning of wave 1 to the end of wave 3.

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.