About the job

Job summary

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 DLUHC, DESNZ Legal Directorates and Litigation Group

Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is responsible for policies on Levelling Up, planning policy, housing policy, building safety, community integration and regeneration, elections and the Union and local government. The Department has an ambitious agenda to drive up housing supply, increase home ownership, devolve powers and budgets to boost local growth and to support strong public services.

DLUHC Legal Advisers is a team of around 100 lawyers who advise DLUHC (and, in some areas, other parts of Government working on similar or related issues) across all areas of the Department’s business. The team advises policy teams within DLUHC on matters ranging from development and drafting of new legislation (Bills and statutory instruments) to areas of policy and operational delivery which have a closer interface with the commercial world such as planning and housing. The Legal Advisers support delivery across all DLUHC’s policy areas through seven legal teams each headed by a deputy director.

Department of Energy Security and Net Zero

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Legal Team focus on providing legal advice on the UK’s ambitious and innovative energy portfolio, with work spanning policies on carbon reduction technologies, nuclear power, clean energy and heat, energy efficiency, energy security, energy networks, infrastructure, planning, climate change and net zero obligations. In light of the government’s net zero commitments and the energy transition, the energy portfolio is in the spotlight more than ever.

DESNZ Legal has around 100 people, based predominantly in 3-8 Whitehall Place, London and growing numbers in Leeds, Bristol and Manchester. DESNZ Legal comprises seven teams. The work is fast-paced, extremely varied and always stretching and interesting. The Division’s work involves a highly diverse range of activity, including providing legal advice, preparing legislation, operational delivery and advising on all aspects of legal risk, including working alongside litigation colleagues on litigation.

GLD Litigation  Group

GLD’s Litigation Division is structured into 4 divisions. The relevant team – Planning Infrastructure and Environment Team, sits within the Justice and Development Division.

The team has around 40 people, based predominantly at 102 Petty France, London, with growing numbers in Leeds and potentially in other GLD office locations. The team represents DESNZ, DLUHC, DEFRA, DfT  as well as other government bodies in a range of public law challenges. The work of the team is extremely varied and covers the full range of public law planning litigation relating  to statutory planning appeals and high profile judicial review challenges against decisions in respect of infrastructure projects (for example airport expansion or nuclear power station consent orders) and the related legislative regimes pertaining to, for example, environmental assessments or climate change. In addition the team acts for the Planning Inspectorate in respect of statutory reviews. The work is important.

The Role

Up to 10 posts are offered across a number of teams within the Government Legal Department, as part of DLUHC Legal Advisers, DESNZ Legal Advisers and GLD Litigation’s Planning, Infrastructure and Environment Litigation Team.

DLUHC – In relation to DLUHC the teams have a range of high profile and fascinating advisory work and are currently working of implementation of the Levelling-Up and Regeneration  Act 2023. The team also advises on high profile planning case work; where planning permission and appeal decisions are taken directly by the Secretary of State.  The case work is demanding and provides excellent public law experience. Recent cases have included climate change challenges against Secretary of State decisions involving minerals extraction and environmental assessment, challenges to particular decisions to call-in applications for planning permission and challenges in relation to changes to definitions in the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites.

DESNZ provides legal support on national planning casework and planning policy development. The work ranges from legal support on planning consent applications for large energy infrastructure projects and overhead powerlines to working with DLUHC and DEFRA on planning reforms. The work is planning and environmentally focussed, encompassing the application of the current regime as well as supporting new developments in response to government commitments on Net Zero and Energy Security. The team also provides advisory support on judicial reviews. We are seeking lawyers with any experience in planning law, whether national or local.

GLD Litigation – In relation to GLD Litigation the team represents the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Department for Transport in challenges to decisions which fall to their Ministers. The work of the team is extremely varied but covers the full range of public law planning litigation relating  to statutory planning appeals and high profile judicial review challenges against decisions in respect of infrastructure projects (for example airport expansion or nuclear power station consent orders) and the related legislative regimes pertaining to, for example, environmental assessments or climate change.

The work is important, often politically and publicly controversial and regularly progresses to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Strong intellectual and analytical skills are key. We seek lawyers with post qualification experience in planning law to join the team.

Advisory Lawyers

The work of advisory lawyers is fast-paced, extremely varied and always stretching and interesting. The work involves a highly diverse range of activity, including:

• providing legal advice, particularly planning, environmental and public law advice, to Ministers and officials across the relevant portfolio;
• involvement in legislation, working closely with policy leads and Parliamentary Counsel, as well as advising Ministers throughout a Bill’s passage through Parliament;
• drafting secondary legislation;
• providing advisory support in legal challenges; and
• advising on all aspects of legal risk.

Litigation Lawyers

The work of litigation lawyers is fast-paced, extremely varied and always stretching and interesting. 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 a crucial co-ordination role when litigation involves several Government Departments. Lawyers work closely with policy colleagues and advisory legal colleagues in client Departments to advise on litigation risk and to develop realistic contingency plans when the litigation risk materialises. The work involves a highly diverse range of activity, including:

• providing legal advice, particularly planning, environmental and public law advice, to Ministers and officials across the relevant client portfolios in the context of litigation; and
• Strategic litigation support to policy officials, Ministers and advisory colleagues in legal challenges, preparing cases and attending court when necessary.

Person specification

Behaviours - Essential

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

You will be expected to provide evidence to show how you meet the criteria at interview and/or selection 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.
• Explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand.
• Take into account people’s individual needs.
• Deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required

Working Together:

• Build strong interpersonal relationships and show genuine care for colleagues.
• Create an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are taken into account and bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable.
• Remain available and approachable to all colleagues and be receptive to new ideas.

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. 
• Experience

Essential

• Experience in Planning or Infrastructure Planning law.

Desirable

• Some advisory experience. This could be gained in a private practice context, through academic study or in the legal department of a public body.
• Experience in environmental law.
• Experience in effective handling of public law or planning or environmental litigation.

Technical – Essential (Lead Criteria)

Legal Professional Skills:

• Good knowledge, understanding and experience of planning/infrastructure planning law. Sound understanding of public law. 
• Reliable legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk. 
• 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. 
• Good understanding of the role of lawyers in government. 

Motivational Fit – Essential

We need to know how well our requirements and offerings match your aspirations. Please outline why you are motivated to join the Government Legal Department and how you feel you might contribute effectively to a role with the GLD.

• For further information about Civil Service recruitment processes and Success profiles, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £59,200, Government Legal Department contributes £15,984 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.

The Recruitment Process

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 Wednesday 5th June 2024 at 12:00 noon.

To apply for this position, applicants will be asked to complete 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 Experience as set out in the Person Specification. CV will be scored.

A statement of suitability of no more than 1000 words, outlining how you demonstrate each of the following behaviours and lead criteria.

• Technical – Legal Professional Skills (Lead Criteria)
• Behaviour – Managing a quality service
• Behaviour – Working together

You should refer closely to the above essential criteria mentioned when completing your application, and wherever possible, demonstrate through your examples how your skills match the person specification. It will not be sufficient to reiterate the criteria; you are expected to illustrate how you have met the requirements.

Technical – Essential (Lead Criteria)

Legal Professional Skills:

• Good knowledge, understanding and experience of planning/infrastructure planning law. Sound understanding of public law. 
• Reliable legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk. 
• 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. 
• Good understanding of the role of lawyers in government. 

Motivational Fit – Essential

We need to know how well our requirements and offerings match your aspirations. Please outline why you are motivated to join the Government Legal Department and how you feel you might contribute effectively to a role with the GLD.

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 experience and criteria outlined in the person specification.

If there is a high number of applications, Technical Legal Skills will be the lead criteria on the sift of applications

Interview

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

• Communicating and influencing 
• Working together
• Managing a quality service
• Technical – Legal Professional Skills (Lead Criteria)
• Motivational fit

You will be asked to complete a written exercise based on a written legal scenario and questions one week prior to your interview.

Candidates will also be required to present a 5-minute oral presentation at the  interview, about which the panel may ask questions.

For both the written exercise and 5-minute oral presentation, you will be assessed on your Legal Professional Skills and Communicating and Influencing skills. In addition to this you will be asked questions addressing the remaining criteria and strength-based questions during your interview.

Prior to the interview candidates will be given further information and time to prepare.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Interviews will take place remotely via MS Teams video conference, full details of the interview format will be provided to shortlisted candidates prior to interview. 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.

Information Session

We will be holding a candidate Information Session on Microsoft Teams from 4.30pm-5.30pm on Wednesday 22nd May 2024. Candidates will have the opportunity to hear from lawyers working in the recruiting Departments about what they do and their experiences of working in Government. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about the roles and the process.

Feel free to join the session using the link below:

Please note, once the advert closes on Wednesday 5th June 2024 at 12:00 noon, the Information Session link below will disappear along with the advert, from the Civil Service Jobs website. If you like to attend the Information Session, please save the link below or the vacancy notice.

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Phone conference ID: 941 778 780#

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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.