{"id":1555,"date":"2019-10-14T12:30:32","date_gmt":"2019-10-14T11:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/careers\/?p=1555"},"modified":"2025-10-22T15:17:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T14:17:01","slug":"employer-perspective-want-to-be-a-government-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/careers\/2019\/10\/14\/employer-perspective-want-to-be-a-government-lawyer\/","title":{"rendered":"Employer perspective: Want to be a government lawyer?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Books<\/a><\/p>\n

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A representative from Government Legal Department will be at our Careers in Government & Policy<\/a> event this Wednesday evening at 6:30! Make sure to book a space now.<\/p>\n

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Employer perspective: Want to be a government lawyer?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to go to 1 Kemble Street, London, and visit the Government Legal Department, Civil Service, which I have to admit I didn't know much about! I got to meet the Treasury Solicitor, the Solicitor General, the Legal Director, and several trainees and it was an eye-opening and exciting day. This is what I found out.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the Government Legal Department<\/span> (GLD)<\/span>?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

GLD is a part of the Civil Service and has <\/span>2500 civil lawyers across the government, most of them in <\/span>the <\/span>Government Legal Profession. <\/span>It is a growing sector and recruitment is increasing.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The work of government lawyers span have a huge range of topics, it was stated it spans the most interesting legal work you can do anywhere; commercial law, employment law, drafting litigation, environmental law, trade, immigration, animal welfare, space travel and much more. Basically, government lawyers can work with anything that affects the country and its citizens, including public services and security.\u00a0he volume of cases are far more than any other legal organisation. A third of the cases in Supreme Court are government legal cases.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, government lawyers have a c<\/span>lose relationships with ministers and parliament.\u00a0<\/span>Government lawyers are lawyers without political interference, without bias, supporting different political parties, without favours. Government l<\/span>awyers have to adapt and grow with the times, there are always lots of new and fresh challenges. The MPs respect legal views and they can\u2019t make proper decisions without the right advice. <\/span><\/p>\n

GLD recruit around <\/span>60 trainees a year, through their trainee scheme, mostly in London, but <\/span>also some across the country in Leeds and Bristol<\/span>.<\/span> Generally, the recruitment is 75% solicitors, 25%<\/span> barristers<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the GLD training scheme?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

As said above, GLD recruit around 60 trainees a year, both solicitors and barristers. <\/span> This year they also opened a specific GLD Commercial Scheme, with 9 trainees. However, the application process for both schemes is the same. Trainee solicitors have four 6 months seats (placements), which is is a mix of litigation and advisory seats in different teams. Pupil barristers have four 6 months seats spent in Chambers.<\/span><\/p>\n

GLD provides legal services to all major Whitehall depts. In addition, trainees work in Attorney General\u2019s Office, FCO, HMRC, CMA; NCA and devolved administrations (Scotland, Wales, NI). GLD deals with Civil Law, not really criminal law (so trainees do not work in Crown Prosecution Service).<\/span><\/p>\n

At this moment of time, anyone from UK, EEA or Commonwealth can apply, and they recruit from non-law and law disciplines, minimum 2:2. The top applicant in 18\/19 had a 2:2. Candidates studying a non-law degree can't apply earlier than their final year, and you apply up to 2 years in advance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Key benefits (as of 2019): <\/span><\/p>\n