Qualified Lawyers

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

Areas of Law

The Government Legal Department is unlike any private practice in the country. Our work touches almost every facet of UK public life. We provide legal advice to the full range of government departments on nation-changing subjects – from healthcare and national security to the environment and the economy.

As the government’s principal legal advisors our expertise supports the development, design and implementation of government policies and decisions. We advise on matters that are frequently scrutinised in Parliament and the media. Our teams are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on procurement and drafting legislation. We also represent the government in court.

Your career here will be more diverse than you ever imagined. Whatever level you join us at, you can look forward to unique high-profile work, outstanding career development and the satisfaction that comes from a far-reaching role in the life of a nation.

Advisory Directorate

The Advisory Group has several teams that each specialise in the work of a specific client department. Their purpose is to provide risk-based, solution focussed legal advice on anything from drafting legislation and taking it through parliament to advising ministers and departments on the implications of new, existing policy, ensuring everything stands up to the scrutiny of Parliament and the Courts.

Our work touches an enormous range of nationally important subjects. You could advise the government on anything from national security to cyberbullying, AI to climate change. You’ll be part of an organisation that’s the trusted partner of government across the full spectrum of its functions. From policy design and regulatory decision-making to taking legislation through Parliament, defending and explaining decisions in public inquiries and international negotiations. And that’s just the half of it. This is a career that few can match for rich, diverse experiences.

Commercial Law Group

Joining our Commercial Law Group, you’ll provide expert legal advice to various departments and public bodies on some of the country’s most important, high-profile and pressing matters. Our work is frequently scrutinised in Parliament and by the media. We deal with transactional commercial issues like public procurement, commercial litigation and commercial property. Essentially, we work to ensure the best value for money through the purchase of goods and services for the UK’s public sector.

With clients range from the Cabinet Office, The Ministry of Defence and DEFRA, to the Ministry of Justice, the Department of Business and Trade and the Department of Culture, Media and Sports, we can offer you a broad and unrivalled career.

Employment

As one of our employment lawyers, you’ll play an integral role in the country’s largest employment practice. From assisting the government with how to be a better employer, to delivering better value for the public purse, we support an incredibly diverse workforce of around 500,000 civil servants. We’re the largest user of the Supreme Court, and our work is totally unique to government.

Covering every aspect of employment policy and disputes, your cases will come with a significant level of responsibility and a high degree of exposure to senior civil servants and ministers. The complex multi-part litigation aspects of employment law here mean you’ll be able to develop your career as an expert in this field or use your experience as a stepping-stone into the wider realms of GLD’s work.

Litigation Group

The decisions and actions of the UK government are subject to great scrutiny. As a result, GLD litigation lawyers conduct a wide range of often high-profile cases, involving questions of constitutional and national importance.

Our public law litigation practice covers the full range of judicial review challenges in areas such as immigration, planning and national security. We also have a substantial private law practice representing large government departments such as the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence in personal injury, clinical negligence, misfeasance in public office, false imprisonment, 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.

One GLD

If you apply, please note that your application will be for a generalist qualified lawyer role at GLD. 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.

Person specification

Below are details of the criteria that make up this role. Demonstrating all the criteria, experience, technical legal skills and behaviours from Success Profiles, listed below is essential at either application, in tests or exercises, or at interview. You can read more about Success Profiles and how they are used as an assessment method before completing your application. Please note, some indicators listed under the behaviours are from GLD’s expectations for our Lawyers and not listed in the Success Profiles document.

Experience

• Practical experience in delivering legal services effectively
• Demonstrated ability to apply legal knowledge and principles in a legal environment

Technical Legal Skills

• Experience of, or aptitude for, public law
• Reliable legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk
• The ability to 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 GLD and how you feel you might contribute effectively in the department

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

• Deliver a high quality, efficient and cost-effective service by considering a broad range of methods for delivery
• Proactively manage risks and identify solutions
• Strong client care skills. Develops and maintains effective client relationships
• Understand diverse customer needs. Delivers high quality and cost-effective customer service
• Identify risks for clients in accordance with legal risk guidance

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

Qualifications

Academic and Professional Qualifications.

Applicants should have a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in their first degree (in any subject). Where an applicant holds an overseas degree qualification this should be equivalent to a 2.2 degree.

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 equivalent to Solicitor, Barrister, or CILEx. 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 2.2 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 2.2 degree equivalence (where a 2.2 degree is not held).

Languages

Candidates not professionally qualified in England or Wales, must provide evidence of English proficiency.​
Foreign Qualified ​Candidates must provide evidence of one of the following;​

Evidence that your overseas legal qualification was assessed in English
Or​
Evidence of an SQE2 exemption where the underlying qualification was assessed in English or Welsh
Or​
Evidence of passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from a UK Home Office–approved provider

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Technical Legal Skills

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,541, Government Legal Department contributes £14,931 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%

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, Experience and Technical skills.

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

Application Process Overview

The process for this campaign will be as follows:

Stage 1 - Eligibility Pre-sift

Stage 2 - Application

Stage 2 - Written Exercise and Critical Reasoning Test (CRT)

Stage 3 - Interview

To apply for these roles you will need to complete the online application on Civil Service Jobs, searching the reference on the front of this candidate pack. The deadline for this application is 12:00 Midday on 11th February 2026.

It is important to note the following when making your application:

When making an application candidates may wish to look at the Attorney General’s Guidance on Legal Risk and the Judge Over Your Shoulder guidance.

Selection Process

Stage 1 - Eligibility Pre-sift​

Eligibility pre-sift on qualifications and English proficiency​

Before your application is considered, there will be a pre-sift on eligibility, where a check on qualifications and English proficiency will be undertaken.

Qualifications, as set out in the candidate pack

Please provide a formal certificate of your professional qualification from the institute from which you qualified along with your professional registration number, (if appropriate).​

Applications are accepted from candidates who will professionally qualify within 3 months. These applicants must provide:

• A document from your training provider which confirms the date you expect to professionally qualify
• Your training provider details and contact information

In addition to the above - Candidates not professionally qualified in England or Wales, must provide evidence of English proficiency.​

​Candidates must provide evidence of one of the following;​

• Evidence that your overseas legal qualification was assessed in English

Or​

• Evidence of an SQE2 exemption where the underlying qualification was assessed in English or Welsh

Or​

• Evidence of passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from a UK Home Office–approved provider

You must attach evidence of the above to your application

The evidence must be condensed into 1 document and uploaded in .doc, .docx or.pdf format, with a maximum file size of 5MB.

The attached file must be named as follows: Eligibility Information.doc. Do not password protect this document.

Applications will not be progressed without this attachment. Your application will be rejected, as it will have failed the pre-sift criteria.

Stage 2 - Application

An online CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities, experience and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years, as part of the online application form.

The CV will be used to assess experience as set out in the person specification.

A personal statement limited to 1250 words, answering the following questions:

• Experience

Describe a situation when you have applied relevant legal knowledge to analyse and resolve a legal matter, considering legal risks

• Managing a Quality Service

Describe how you have delivered legal services to a high standard and efficiently to meet client requirements

• Motivational Fit

Why are you motivated to join the Government Legal Department

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.

Candidates must be successful at sift stage to progress to undertake the written exercise and critical reasoning test.

Please note:

• Detailed feedback will not be given following sift, however sift scores will be made available on Civil Service Jobs
• The CV and Personal statement will also be used to assess candidates at interview stage

Stage 3 - Written Exercise and Critical Reasoning Test (CRT)

The written exercise and critical reasoning test will assess the following criteria:

• Technical Legal Skills
• Behaviour - Communicating and Influencing

Candidates progressing to the written exercise and Critical Reasoning Test, will be required to:

• Complete a written exercise at an online invigilated assessment centre
• Complete an online critical reasoning test

Dates and booking details about the written exercise and critical reasoning test will be provided to candidates that progress to this stage.

Candidates must be successful in both the written exercise and critical reasoning test to progress to interview.

Candidates progressing to interview will be provided with a copy of their response to the written exercise on the day of their interview.

Stage 4 – Interview

If you are invited to interview you will be assessed against all of the essential criteria set out below.

You will be asked follow up questions on your CV, personal statement and your written exercise. Questions will also be asked on the below areas:

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

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Candidates will be interviewed remotely by a GLD panel. All details will be sent a week before the interview date/slot, to ensure that candidates can prepare.

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

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.

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 for 12 months. We may contact you to see if you are interested in a post at the same, or a lower grade, in GLD should one arise.

We will allocate successful candidates to the most suitable vacancy available at the time of our offer, taking into account performance at interview.

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 : GLD Recruitment Team
• Email : govqualified@tmpw.co.uk

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: 446187 - Qualified Lawyers – 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

446187 - Qualified Lawyers - Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 670kB)