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?

Scotland0.5%

Yorkshire &Humberside

0.5%

London & the South East

89%

North West2%

West Midlands1%

Wales

5%

South West

2%

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? 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 From AviationAviation to Zoology to Zoology via: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 nationalsecurity 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 placesTrainee 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

LEGAL TRAINEE SCHEMEASSESSMENT CENTRE

GLS APPLICATION PROCESSEligibility 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