Financial Services Lawyer x 5

Job summary

From healthcare to artificial intelligence, energy to national security, we provide legal advice to government departments on nation-changing subjects.

At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfill our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters.

Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. 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 headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas.

GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services. There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law.

This is an exciting time to join 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 you can view our introductory film. On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD. You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 – 2027.

Job description

About the Treasury Legal Advisers

Treasury Legal Advisers (TLA) is the in-house legal department of HM Treasury (HMT). HMT is the UK’s finance and economics ministry.

TLA is a directorate of GLD but works collaboratively with colleagues across HM Treasury to provide legal advice to ministers and officials across all of HMT’s functions.

Key legal areas on which TLA advises include:

• the regulation of financial services
• financial stability
• public spending
• public sector pensions.
• market interventions and state-owned assets
• trade negotiations
• sanctions, money laundering and illicit finance

TLA consist of about 120 lawyers and other professionals, operating through six legal teams each led by a Deputy Director. We work in a friendly, open, and collaborative culture: most of our work is handled by small groups of lawyers rather than by a single lawyer and so we place a high value on teamwork. We often work collaboratively with lawyers from other government departments and with the legal teams from the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority. Some of our work involves instructing and working with external law firms and Counsel. The division is currently based in HMT’s headquarters building at One Horse Guards Road, London but we also have lawyers located in GLD’s regional offices in Croydon, Bristol, Leeds and Manchester.

“TLA has a strong culture of teamwork, mutual support and respect, and collaborating with colleagues across GLD and OGD. This enables ​us to tackle difficult and demanding work, ​supporting HM Treasury’s wide mandate and range of business.”​

- Simon Man, Director of Treasury Legal Advisers

Career Offer

For some roles, travel may be required. If you join us with less than three years of post-qualification experience (PQE), your starting salary will be £51,541.00 per annum. This will increase to £61,200(Croydon/London) or £59,200 (national) per annum once you have successfully completed your probation period and either reach three years of PQE or complete one year of service, whichever comes first.

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’ scheme, 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 voluntary and is intended to help Newly Qualified lawyers to develop a broader range of skills and stay ‘fresh’ in working on different areas of law and in new environments.

The Role

The financial services sector is a key part of the UK economy and the Treasury Legal Advisers Financial Services (FS) teams are pivotal in supporting HM Treasury in the delivery of the Government’s Economic Growth Agenda.

You will be working as a Grade 7 (G7) lawyer in one of the three FS teams that advise the Treasury. The G7 roles in these teams are varied and provide a unique opportunity to work closely with legal and policy colleagues across the whole of Whitehall in addition to legal and policy colleagues from the Bank of England, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA).

You will be part of a team headed up by a Deputy Director and made up of Grade 6s (G6) and G7s, who work collaboratively across the team’s portfolio and with the other two financial services teams.

As a G7 you will be encouraged to own and develop your own area(s) of expertise, with support from a G6 line manager. Drafting secondary legislation is a significant part of the portfolio and an excellent opportunity to lead on a piece of legislation from conception to enactment. Much of the legislation requires innovative and creative thought and you will be a key player in this process.

At the heart of all of the work we do are public law considerations. As a G7 lawyer in the FS teams you will be able to build and develop your public law skills, standing you in good stead for a career generally in the GLD.

The teams are friendly and supportive, and the role provides an excellent opportunity to gain broad financial services experience in addition to developing drafting skills, regulatory experience and public law knowledge. There is potential for line management of a legal trainee or paralegal and participation in wider corporate activities across TLA and GLD.

The Consumer Protection, Payments and Legislation (“CPPL”) Team

The CPPL Team provides advice on consumer-focused financial services matters, including regulation of “Buy Now Pay Later” schemes, the Consumer Credit Act 1974, provision of the “Breathing Space” scheme and the recent issues arising from motor finance agreements. We are currently establishing a UK regulatory framework for Cryptoassets and leading the legal work for “Open Banking” and on reform of the Payment Systems Regulator. Other recent projects have included legislation to provide greater certainty and transparency in cases of “de-banking” and a project seeking to ensure the viability of wholesale cash distribution.

CPPL also includes Treasury Legal Advisers’ “Drafting Services Branch”, a team of lawyers who support colleagues on the drafting of secondary legislation. They provide direct support (assisting with queries, providing essential “checks” on draft legislation prior to publication, etc) whilst delivering a continuous programme of training and producing guidance.

Banking and Insurance (BAI) team

The BAI team finds itself at the centre of regulatory policy issues affecting the Banking, Mutuals and Insurance sectors. Working in partnership with policy teams in HM Treasury, lawyers are involved from the start of the development of policy, advising on legal risk, drafting legislation and having a real impact on delivering outcomes. Supporting the Government’s Growth Mission and the commitments in the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech, the team advises on a number of areas including:

• Prudential regulation of Banking, including the implementation of international standards and capital requirements, and reforms to the Ringfencing of deposit taking banks;
• Financial stability, including being part of a cross Treasury team in the event of a bank failure (e.g. Silicon Valley Bank, Credit Suisse) and playing an active part in ongoing contingency planning;
• Insurance, including advising and legislating on insurance regulatory issues (e.g. Solvency UK).
• Significant regulator governance matters, including appointments, whistleblowing and wider regulatory reforms

The Funds Markets and Securities (FMS) Team

The FMS team advises on a broad, high‑profile portfolio at the forefront of emerging technologies, markets and innovation. We work collaboratively across government on significant Growth initiatives from policy development through to designing, drafting and delivering major economic legislation, and play a key role in the regulatory partnership between HM Treasury and the Bank of England, FCA and PRA.

Our work includes:

• Reforming wholesale markets to ensure fair, outcomes‑based and competitive secondary market regulation
• Developing financial market infrastructure policy, including Financial Markets Infrastructure sandboxes to test and adopt new technologies
• Supporting the creation of innovative trading platforms and promoting investment in the UK.
• Leading HMT’s Sustainable Finance agenda, including the Green Taxonomy and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Ratings.
• Overseeing equivalence and overseas recognition regimes for cross‑border financial services.
• Drafting secondary legislation and collaborating with officials and senior stakeholders on primary legislation.

FMS also acts as the department’s digital finance hub, advising across a range of digital finance products to include crypto finance/currency, digitisation of financial transactions, digital gilts and tokenisation

Person specification

Behaviours

Below are details of the Success Profiles that make up this role. Demonstrating all the behaviours listed below is essential at either application or interview. You can read more about Success Profiles and how they are used as an assessment method before completing your application.

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

• Making effective decisions
• Managing a quality ervice
• Communicating and influencing
• Working together

Experience

Essential - must be demonstrated at application and interview

• Experience or knowledge of UK financial services law and the regulation of financial services.

Desirable

Specific experience or knowledge of:

• commercial law,
• company law, and/or regulatory law.
• experience in public law

The desirable criteria will be used when there is a need to distinguish between candidates who are closely tied or the same after the initial consideration of essential criteria, at sift and interview

Technical Legal Professional Skills

• Willingness to quickly learn new areas of law/legal skills e.g. legislative drafting.
• Demonstrable interest in 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.

Security Clearance Level

All GLD employees must hold BPSS security clearance. If successful for this post you must hold, or be willing and able to obtain, CTC level security clearance. You can start your position while getting this clearance level. More information can be found about the vetting and clearance levelsbefore completing your application.

Sponsorship and Visas

There is the possibility that GLD can provide sponsorship for skilled workers, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria set down under current immigration legislation. GLD does not guarantee sponsorshipwill be provided or that an applicant will be successful in gaining a skilled worker visa.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that they meet the criteria for sponsorship. They also have the responsibility to notify the Resourcing Team that they require Sponsorship at the start of the onboarding process into GLD. This applies to existing civil servants as well as external candidates.

Qualifications

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:
Contract Law
Criminal Law
Equity and Trusts Law
European Union Law
Land Law
Public Law
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 below.
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).

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Please address the Technical legal professional skills aspect of the person specification.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,124, Government Legal Department contributes £17,707 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Benefits of working for the Civil Service

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you’ll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.

Learning and Development at GLD

GLD has a comprehensive learning and development offer for all employees.

We offer a programme of in-person/hybrid and virtual sessions providing learning on profession-specific, soft skills, technical skills, and different topics. We also support colleagues through a range of different professional qualifications.

As the lead for the Government Legal Profession, we offer a tailored programme of development for all Legal Professionals joining the organisation through our Government Legal Training Programme and Legal Learning Framework, which includes:

• Foundation pathway, to support colleagues in their first 12 months
• Practitioner pathways for colleagues in four core areas of work
• Core Curriculum

We also offer a 2+2 scheme for newly qualified lawyers to gain a broader idea and understanding of the range of work available as a government lawyer.

Alongside this we support all Professions with building their careers and capability aligning with the wider Civil Service offerings for each Profession.

There are also talent and development opportunities offered throughout the year these include:

• Senior Leaders and Future Leaders Schemes – cross Civil Service accelerated development schemes.
• Beyond Boundaries – cross government development programme designed to help participants develop the knowledge, skills and networks required to build a satisfying and effective career in the Civil Service.
• Mentoring and Coaching – we encourage all colleagues to share their knowledge, capability, and experience.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

Application

To apply for this post you will need to complete the online application on Civil Service Jobs, searching the reference below. The deadline for this application is Wednesday 1st April 2026 at 12:00 midday.

In your application you will be assessed on the following:

• a CV outlining your job history, skills, experiences and qualifications against the Experiencecriteria of the person specification.
• 4 x 250 word statements for each of the behaviours: Making effective decisions , Managing a quality service, Communicating and influencing and Working together.
• a 250-word personal statement addressing the Technical legal professional skills aspect of the person specification.

AI Usage

Civil Service Jobs states that artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application. However, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

In addition to this please note that in GLD the use of AI is strictly prohibited during tests, written exercises and interviews.

Application Errors

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via: govqualified@tmpw.co.uk. Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – 450936 closing date 1st April 2026’.

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, experience and technical legal skills outlined in the person specification.

If there are a large number of applications the panel will conduct a staged sift. The initial sift will be on CV alone. If you meet the minimum criteria for the CV you will then go to the full sift on Technical legal rofessional skills andthebehaviourstatements.

In the eventuality that there are a high number of applicants successful at sift, GLD will operate a longlist, whereby applicants who have been shortlisted and met the minimum pass mark but are not selected for interview will have their application placed on hold. After the initial interview round candidates on the longlist will be offered an interview, should there still be posts available.

Interview

If you are invited to interview, you will be assessed on your performance in the criteria listed in the Person Specification, alongside scenario based exercises and strength-based questions. These criteria are:

• Behaviour: Making effective decisions
• Behaviour: Managing a quality service
• Behaviour: Communicating and influencing
• Behaviour: Working together
• Experience
• Technical legal professional skills

A written assessment must be completed covering the Technical legal professional skills aspect of the person specification. The assessment will be carried out directly before the interview in a timed condition and full details will be provided on that day..

Your interview will take place online

Offer

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.

All communications regarding your application will be made through Civil Service Jobs.

All candidates will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible after the interview. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an 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. We will 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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : People Scout
• Email : govqualified@tmpw.co.uk
• Telephone : 0117 923 4417

Recruitment team

• Email : govqualified@tmpw.co.uk

Further information

You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application hasn’t been treated in accordance with these Principles and wish to make a complaint, please contact recruitment_feedback@governmentlegal.gov.uk in the first instance. Please title your email as follows: 450936 - Financial Services Lawyer – Recruitment Complaint. Complaints must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the incident or the decision which has caused the complaint. To fully engage with the issues raised GLD require that you submit evidence of your complaint.

Attachments

Financial Services Lawyers x 5 Opens in new window (pdf, 511kB)