About the job

Job summary

We are looking for highly capable qualified lawyers to join our supportive teams where we can offer a challenging and exciting career.

We provide legal advice to Government Departments on matters that are frequently scrutinised in Parliament and the media. Our advisory clients range from Departments such as the Home Office, the Department for International Trade to the Department for Health and the Ministry of Defence, to name just a few. Whether you join us as an advisory, employment, commercial or litigation lawyer, we offer broad and unrivalled career opportunities.

We would be thrilled to receive applications from candidates whatever stage you are at in your legal career. Whether you are newly qualified, returning to work after a break, or looking to ‘do something different’, GLD is a supportive and happy place to work.

Job description

While previous experience or knowledge may be relevant to some vacancies, Government work is likely to involve a rapid learning curve to acquire legal skills and knowledge not required in private practice. Strong intellectual and analytical skills are important. We will provide support to help you acquire the necessary expertise and have a thriving CPD-accredited in-house training programme.

GLD encourages its people to develop their skills and provides opportunities to move between advisory, litigation, employment and commercial law services during their careers. For Newly Qualified lawyers with under one year’s experience, GLD operates a ‘2+2’ policy, whereby these lawyers are allocated to two, 2 year postings over their first 4 years working with GLD; 2 years in a contentious team (litigation or employment), and a further 2 years in a non-contentious advisory post, or vice-versa. The scheme is intended to help NQs to develop a broader range of skills and stay ‘fresh’ in working on different areas of law and in new environments. 

Areas of Law

 

Litigation Group

 

The actions and decisions of Government are under increasing scrutiny in the Courts: immigration policy, welfare reform, climate change and energy policy, Covid, and military action overseas are just a few of the issues that generate legal challenges that regularly hit the headlines. GLD litigation lawyers conduct a wide range of cases which are often high profile and frequently involve questions of constitutional and societal importance. Our cases regularly go all the way to the Supreme Court and are at the forefront of law as it develops.

 

Our public law litigation practice covers the full range of judicial review challenges in areas such as planning, the environment, prisons, immigration, and national security as well as the Government’s wide ranging reform agenda. We also have a substantial private law practice representing Government Departments including the Ministry of Justice, Department of Work and Pensions, and the Ministry of Defence in personal injury, clinical negligence, misfeasance in public office, false imprisonment, and other claims as well as inquests.  Litigation lawyers also provide expert representation in public inquiries, including the Covid Inquiry.

 

Our litigators gain early responsibility for their own caseload within a supportive team environment. They work in collaboration with counsel from the Attorney General’s Panels and play an important co-ordination role when litigation involves several Government Departments.  Litigation lawyers also work closely with policy colleagues and advisory legal colleagues in client departments to reduce the exposure to legal risk and to develop realistic contingency plans when litigation risk materialises.

 

Our litigation is some of the most interesting and challenging there is and provides an excellent opportunity to work at the heart of government law.

Advisory Divisions

 

Government Departments need to draw on the skills of advisory lawyers to bring to life policies for which Ministers are accountable to Parliament and the electorate. The legal issues are often complex, novel and politically sensitive.  The legal approach may be scrutinised by Parliament, the media, courts, and other institutions, domestic and international. Projects are often fast moving, and the problems brought to lawyers are often both urgent and unpredictable. Our advisory lawyers work collaboratively and as part of the same team with policy officials and other professionals in the Departments we advise to find legally sound solutions to deliver Ministers’ priorities, even where this change overnight.

Ministers often want to reform and improve the area they are responsible for. They are likely to be brimming with ideas about how to change things – more affordable childcare, planning regulations which support the growth agenda, ensuring access to banking services, and restricting the activities of hostile state actors in the UK, are some recent examples. Advisory lawyers think through all the legal implications of a policy, for instance human rights, international legal obligations, equality and data protection issues, as well as core public law principles. They need to anticipate possible legal challenges and provide officials and Ministers with clear legal risk assessments. If a challenge is made they will instruct colleagues from Litigation Group and provide the interface with Departmental officials and Ministers.

Unlike other in-house lawyers, our advisory lawyers create and write the law as well as applying existing law.  Where new primary legislation is required, advisory lawyers work with Parliamentary Counsel on the draft Bill and support policy colleagues and Ministers at all stages of the parliamentary process. Another strand of work involves international negotiations, where our lawyers may be involved in advising on or directly participating in negotiations, such as trade agreements or multilateral environmental treaties.

 

Advisory lawyers also implement policy reforms and Acts of Parliament by drafting a huge volume of secondary legislation. To write a new law is a special privilege, requiring both precision of expression and creativity. It is a team effort involving multiple checks, but the drafter will always have a special sense of pride and ownership.

Commercial Law Group

 

The Commercial Law Group (CLG) celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2024 and its reputation across government as a unified expert commercial law service continues to go from strength to strength. CLG is looking for able, pro-active lawyers at any stage in their career who seek to be involved at the forefront of public commercial law, and wish to make a difference to society. CLG offers unrivalled commercial legal work. Our people work on some of the most high profile, complex and far-reaching projects in government for most Departments of State and other public bodies .The group consists of seven transactional teams, a litigation/dispute resolution team, and two property law teams. CLG is a national organisation, operating out of offices in Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and London, as well as being located with some clients in London and near Bristol.

The Group has wellbeing and diversity at its core, offers real career progression within commercial law, and provides a second to none training offer to its staff

 

Employment

 

The GLD Employment Group is right at the heart of delivering key legal services to Government. There are approximately 160 people in the division. We have 8 client facing legal teams and a dedicated business and litigation support team. We have offices in Bristol, Leeds, London, and Manchester.

 

We provide an expert service delivering value for money for the public purse. We act for all Government Departments and their agencies including Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, HMRC, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Home Office, Department of Education, Department for Transport, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Business and Trade, DCMS and DLUHC.  We advise on all aspects of Civil Service employment from the individual e.g., internal grievances and disciplinary proceedings, discrimination, tribunal claims etc to the cross-cutting policy issues of the day – e.g. equal pay, terms and conditions of service, worker/employee status, industrial relations. We also act in National Security cases. Much of the work we do is unique to GLD. The interest and range of work undertaken is second to none – we handle litigation up to the Supreme Court and provide employment advice in the context of Ministers’ political and operational drivers. 

 

The specialist TUPE Hub advises all government departments on the employment law aspects of commercial insourcing and outsourcing contracts, as well as on reorganisations within the Civil Service and wider public sector.  This includes advice on the applicability of TUPE/COSOP, tender and contractual documents, negotiations and consultations, pensions and post-transfer harmonisation and other employment issues. 

 

The specialist Industrial Relations Hub advises across the Civil Service on industrial relations and trade union legal matters affecting Government departments themselves and the public services for which Government is responsible. We work closely with other legal teams across GLD. 

 

We are an incredibly friendly and supportive division offering full training and support, with opportunities for career progression as an employment expert or as part of your cross GLD career portfolio.  

 

One GLD

 

If you apply, please note that your application will be for a generalist qualified lawyer role at the Government Legal Department. If you have a developed a specialism in a particular area of law (e.g. employment law, trade law, commercial law) then you should reflect that in the CV section of the application form, however please bear in mind that you will be offered a role in order of merit and not necessarily within your specialism.

 

Academic

 

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)).

Professional Qualifications

 

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 2.1 degree 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

Essential criteria

At application stage, you will be assessed on the following criteria:

Technical Legal Skills:

• 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.

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 Government Legal Department and how you feel you might contribute effectively to a role with GLD.

At interview stage, you will be assessed on the following criteria, alongside strength-based questions:

Technical professional skills – as above

Motivational Fit – as above

Behaviour: 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.

Behaviour: 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.

Behaviour: 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.

The closing date for this campaign is 23rd January 2024.

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 £47,541, Government Legal Department contributes £47,541 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

What to expect if you choose to apply

1) You register your interest and submit your application. You will be asked to provide a response on Technical Legal Skills (limit of 750 words/4500 characters) and Motivational Fit (500 words/3000 characters).

2) Candidates meeting the advertised minimum eligibility criteria will be asked to complete an online Critical Reasoning Test which will be sent via email. Applicants will be asked to complete this before a deadline – please ensure you check your email inboxes carefully, including junk folders as some systems filter the link as ‘spam’ or ‘junk’. If concerned please contact the Recruitment Team for advice (see contact details below).

3) Candidates who meet the required standard on the critical reasoning test will have their applications sifted by a GLD sift panel. Please note detailed feedback will not be given following sift, however sift scores will be made available.

4) Candidates who are selected for interview will be emailed an online written exercise to test the ‘Technical Legal Skills’ criteria – you will be advised of a clear deadline for submitting your response. This allows you to respond to a legal question in the comfort of your own home and at a time convenient to you. Your written response will be assessed ahead of your interview, you may be asked some follow up questions on it during your interview and a copy will be provided for you on the day of interview.

5) Candidates will be interviewed remotely by a GLD panel via a video conference call. All details will be sent a week before your interview slot to ensure you are fully prepared ahead of schedule. Any candidate applying must have access to video with audio availability. Candidates who do not have access may be withdrawn from the

At the interview, you will have the opportunity to prepare your response to certain criteria in advance. Interviews normally last around 40 to 60 minutes.

6) We will allocate successful candidates to the most suitable vacancy available at the time of our offer, taking into account your performance at interview. We may hold a reserve list for up to 12 months.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.