OUTLINE
• What is the Government Legal Service (“GLS”)?
• What do we do?
• Why choose a career in the GLS?
• Training in the GLS.
• Any questions.
WHAT IS THE
GOVERNMENT LEGAL SERVICE?
•Total population – around 2000 lawyers (barristers and
solicitors) and trainees.
•30 government departments and agencies.
•Anything from 1 to around 500 lawyers in a single
organisation – TSol being the largest.
WHAT IS THE
GOVERNMENT LEGAL SERVICE?
WHERE IS THE
GLS BASED?
Scotland
0.5%
Yorkshire &
Humberside
0.5%
North West
2%
West Midlands
1%
Wales
5%
South West
2%
London & the
South East
89%
STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE
Paul Jenkins QC, the Treasury Solicitor, is Head
of Profession for the GLS.
Paul is also Head of the Treasury Solicitor’s
Department (TSol) - the biggest legal team in the
GLS.
The Treasury Solicitor is accountable through the
Attorney General to Parliament.
WHAT DO WE DO?
We advise Ministers and policy colleagues on
their legal powers and responsibilities.
We help develop primary legislation (i.e. Bills,
which become Acts of Parliament);
We draft secondary legislation (i.e. Statutory
Instruments).
We help negotiate and draft EU statutes and
international treaties
WHAT DO WE DO?
We litigate for the Government, including
proceedings in:
•The Administrative Court (Judicial Review);
•The European Court of Justice (ECJ);
•The European Court of Human Rights in
Strasburg (ECtHR); and
•The Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
•Prosecute in areas not covered by the CPS.
Many of our cases enjoy a high public profile
and involve new and interesting points of law.
From Aviation to Zoology via:
• Banking
• Bona Vacantia
• Charities & trusts
• Climate change
• Commercial
• Constitutional &
Administrative law
• Criminal
• Education
• Employment
• Environmental
• European
• Financial Services
• FOI & Data Protection
• Human
rights
HOW ARE WE SIMILAR TO OTHER
LEGAL ORGANISATIONS?
•
We provide our client with legal advice
•
We represent our client in court
•
We recruit lawyers and trainees
•
We provide a clear career path
HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT?
•
We only have 1 client – the government of the day
•
We advise Ministers and colleagues on their legal powers and
responsibilities
•
We turn policy into law – this is unique to government legal
work
•
We work with a large variety of colleagues (from PM to prison
officers) in hugely varied areas of the law (from aviation to
zoology).
WHY CHOOSE THE GLS ?
• Early involvement in high quality, high profile legal
work at the cutting edge of law and government.
• Lawyers and trainees take responsibility for their
work, clients and the public service they provide.
• No requirement to specialise – GLS lawyers
encouraged to work in different departments on
different areas of law throughout career.
• Knowledge shared between lawyers and legal
teams. Coordination across Whitehall is crucial.
• High quality training throughout.
WHO DOES IT APPEAL TO?
•
Anybody interested in the development of law
•
Anybody interested in the interaction of politics and law
•
Anybody with a motivation for public service
•
Anybody who wants early responsibility
MY LEGAL CAREER SO FAR
TSol 1: employment litigation for most OGDs
• transsexuals seeking legally recognition in
new gender for purposes of employment
• service of homosexuals in HM Forces
• continued service of pregnant women
• service of women in front line of HM Forces
• HMPS equal pay cases
• independence of part-time judge
MY LEGAL CAREER CONT.
TSol 2: Home Office public law and national
security litigation:
• transsexuals, children and mothers &
babies in prison
• CRB role following Soham
• MDP conduct and discipline
Opportunity to work with medical experts,
social services, Official Solicitor & HMPS
staff
MY LEGAL CAREER CONT.
MoD advisory:
• Advising SSD, Ministers, policy clients
(and once No 10) on service personnel
issues from cessation of Operation
Banner to Gurkha TACOS review
MY LEGAL CAREER CONT.
HM Treasury Advisory
• EU financial stability
• EU financial supervision
• EU litigation
• Regulatory work eg regulation of Islamic
finance for the first time
TRAINING WITH THE GLS
•Based in “Home Department”, but usually seconded
during training
•Trainee Solicitors - 4 six-month seats; at least one
litigation seat
•Pupil Barristers – 12 months; either 8 months in Home
Dept and 4 months in Chambers or 6/6
•‘On the job’ training, supplemented by comprehensive
internal training programmes
POST-QUALIFICATION
•Usually qualify into your Home Department
•Opportunities to move around and within Departments
in the years following training
•Secondments available to other Departments and the
private sector
•Every opportunity to build the career which best suits
you
KEY BENEFITS
•1st year salary range: £23,280 - £25,600
•On qualification: £32,000 - £40,000
•1 year PQE: £43,000 +
•Vocational course fees paid and substantial bursary for
vocational year
• Generous annual leave entitlement (25-30 days per
year)
•Flexible working pattern encouraged
THE SKILLS YOU’LL NEED…
•Intellectual and analytical ability
•Written Communication
•Oral Communication
•Judgement
•Constructive and innovative thinking
•Team working
•Drive and determination
•Motivation
2011 LEGAL TRAINEE
SCHEME
DEPARTMENT
POSTS ON OFFER
BUSINESS , INNOVATION AND SKILLS
2 trainee places
Trainee Solicitor/Pupil Barrister
COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
1 Trainee Solicitor
WORK AND PENSIONS / HEALTH
2 Trainee Solicitors
HM REVENUE AND CUSTOMS
4 trainee places
(3 Trainee Solicitors, 1 Pupil Barrister)
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
1 Trainee Solicitor
SERIOUS ORGANISED CRIME AGENCY
1 Trainee Solicitor
TSOL
9 Trainee places
(7 Trainee Solicitors, 2 Pupil Barristers)
LEGAL TRAINEE SCHEME
APPLICATION PROCESS
ONLINE APPLICATION FORM
Verifies Eligibility
2800+ candidates applied in 2010 for 18-22
posts
ONLINE SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT TEST
Assesses candidates’ judgement required for
solving problems in work-related situations
2500 + candidates reached this stage in 2010
ONLINE VERBAL REASONING TEST
Assesses candidates’ analytical skills
400 + candidates reached this stage in 2010
LEGAL TRAINEE SCHEME
ASSESSMENT CENTRE
The highest scoring candidates at the application stage are invited to
attend an Assessment Centre (AC).
In 2010 80 candidates were invited.
They are assessed against the core competencies through two exercises:
Written Exercise
Candidates required to provide
written advice on a scenario.
Technical Interview
Competency based interview
with two senior GLS lawyers.
GLS APPLICATION PROCESS
Eligibility Criteria
Nationality – under Civil Service nationality rules, applicants must be UK,EEA or
Commonwealth citizens.
Immigration – successful candidates must be legally entitled to reside and work
in the UK.
Academic - Candidates studying law cannot apply any earlier than the
penultimate year of their degree.
Candidates studying a non-law degree cannot apply any earlier than their final
year.
All applicants must have, or be predicted to obtain, a minimum 2:1 degree which
does not have to be in law.
FURTHER INFORMATION?
•Pick up a brochure
•Visit the web site: www.gls.gov.uk
•Visit Departmental web sites
•Join the mailing lists:
•For 2013 training contracts or pupillages: e-mail
glstrainees@tmpw.co.uk