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OUTLINE

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.

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OUTLINE

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  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT LEGAL SERVICE?

  4. WHERE IS THE GLS BASED? Scotland 0.5% Yorkshire & Humberside 0.5% North West 2% West Midlands 1% London & the South East 89% • Wales • 5% • South West • 2%

  5. 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.

  6. 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 becomeActs of Parliament); We draft secondary legislation (i.e. Statutory Instruments). We help negotiate and draft EU statutes and international treaties

  7. 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.

  8. 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

  9. 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 SIMILAR TO OTHER LEGAL ORGANISATIONS?

  10. 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). HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT?

  11. 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 indifferent departments on different areas of law throughout career. • Knowledge shared between lawyers and legal teams. Coordination across Whitehall is crucial. • High quality training throughout.

  12. 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 WHO DOES IT APPEAL TO?

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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 TRAINING WITH THE GLS

  18. 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

  19. KEYBENEFITS • 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

  20. THE SKILLS YOU’LL NEED… • Intellectual and analytical ability • Written Communication • Oral Communication • Judgement • Constructive and innovative thinking • Team working • Drive and determination • Motivation

  21. 2011 LEGAL TRAINEE SCHEME

  22. LEGAL TRAINEE SCHEME APPLICATION PROCESS

  23. LEGAL TRAINEE SCHEMEASSESSMENT CENTRE

  24. 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. GLS APPLICATION PROCESS

  25. 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 FURTHER INFORMATION?

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