Making law making headlines making a difference - Lawyers in government

 
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Making law making headlines making a difference - Lawyers in government
Lawyers in government

                    making law
                    making headlines
                    making a difference

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Making law making headlines making a difference - Lawyers in government
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Making law making headlines making a difference - Lawyers in government
Our work and
               our philosophy
               are very different
               We think this is
               a good thing

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Making law making headlines making a difference - Lawyers in government
Creating new legislation.

               Providing legal advice to
               government ministers.

               Representing the government in the
               highest courts in the land.

               The work of government lawyers and trainees
               is challenging, unique and often headline
               news. The legal solutions we provide pervade
               almost every aspect of today’s society.

               It’s a terrific responsibility.

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Making law making headlines making a difference - Lawyers in government
It’s a responsibility we
               want you to share
               In July 2019, we are offering around 60
               trainee solicitor and pupil barrister positions.
               These will be available in September 2021
               and there may be some positions available in
               September 2019 or 2020.

               If you have excellent analytical,
               communication and team working skills and
               would relish the challenge of legal work that
               has a significant and tangible impact on
               millions nationally - we would like to hear
               from you!

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Making law making headlines making a difference - Lawyers in government
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The government is our sole client. Whether
               it is creating new legislation, buying goods
               and services, employing people, protecting
               consumers, or defending its actions in court,
               the government requires significant levels of
               legal advice. To carry out this work, it needs
               lawyers who understand its business. The
               work of government lawyers is determined
               by the business in which their departmental
               clients are engaged. As a trainee solicitor or
               pupil barrister, you will experience a variety
               of litigation and advisory work during your
               training period.

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Advisory work
               What new legislation is ne
               as a result of leaving the
               What should be covered in the trade agreements? Can a
               boy who identifies as a girl go to school in a skirt? How can
               science and technology be used to fight serious and organised
               crime? Will a merger restrict competition? What commercial
               law issues will arise from delivery of the 2022 Commonwealth
               Games in Birmingham?
               These are just a fraction of the challenging concepts that
               lawyers and trainees have been focussing on.

               Providing legal advice to the government is an important
               element of our work. Lawyers and trainees work alongside

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n is needed
g the EU?
                  ministers and officials as they seek to turn government
                  objectives into policy and law and enforce regulation.

                  That’s not all. Providing legal advice on the implications of
                  existing legislation is not the full extent of our responsibility.
                  Our role in the development and implementation of new
                  legislation is, quite simply, unique. Creating legislation from
                  scratch and being part of the process as it moves through
                  Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament is an opportunity
                  that cannot be provided elsewhere. It is fascinating and
                  challenging in equal measure.

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Litigation work
             Are plain packaging regula
             for tobacco products unla
               Who needs to be consulted when building a high speed rail line?
               Is it unlawful to require foreign spouses of UK citizens to pass an
               English language test before coming to live in the UK? What is
               illegal tax evasion or avoidance?
               When you think about the scale of the activities in which the
               government is involved, you won’t be surprised to learn that we
               spend a lot of time in courts and tribunals considering all kinds of
               questions and contentious issues.

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regulations
s unlawful?
                  Litigation lawyers attend hearings in a wide range of courts,
                  including Coroners’ Courts, the Asylum and Immigration
                  Tribunal, the Royal Courts of Justice and the Supreme Court.
                  The government dimension adds an additional and
                  unique perspective. The outcome of a case is not the only
                  consideration for our lawyers. The wider implication for future
                  government policy is equally significant and many cases raise
                  questions of constitutional importance.

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Legal trainee scheme
               The Government Legal Department (GLD), including its
               Commercial Law Group, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC),
               Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and National Crime
               Agency (NCA) have all advertised legal trainee positions
               (training contracts and pupillages) in recent years.
               Departments recruit legal trainees (trainee solicitors and
               pupil barristers) under the umbrella of the Government Legal
               Profession’s Legal Trainee Scheme.
               If you are successful in your application, you will be made an
               offer of a trainee position by one of these departments. Your
               legal training will be the responsibility of that department.

               Trainees typically work in 4 different areas of practice (‘seats’)
               over a 2-year period. Pupil barristers can also expect to spend
               part of the pupillage period in chambers.
               Whether you aim to be a solicitor or barrister, you can expect

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to be fully involved in a range of interesting work. You will
               have an active role to play in casework. You may liaise with
               government ministers, senior policy makers and counsel. And
               you may have the opportunity to participate in the legislative
               process itself. There are many trainees who can point proudly
               to a section in the statute book and say “I produced that”.
               So, while the broad structure of your training will be similar to
               that found elsewhere, the nature of the work you will perform
               will be very different. Over the next few pages, some of our
               recent trainees will tell you more.

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Camilla
               Arana
               Solicitor

               Government
               Legal Department
               (GLD)

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Why did you choose to become
               a government lawyer?
               I studied Government at university and was
               always interested in public policy. Working
               closely with policy clients within your
               department means that as a solicitor you
               are not only receiving instructions but are
               an important member of a team focussed
               on delivering government policy. I knew that
               working as a government lawyer would mean
               challenging and varied work combined with
               opportunities to move between legal areas of
               expertise.

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What type of work were you
               involved in during your training?
               I was involved in preparing a Bill for
               introduction to Parliament. I really enjoyed
               seeing how law is developed from a policy
               idea to a written clause in a Bill, as well as
               being involved in instructing the Office of the
               Parliamentary Counsel.

               After answering key legal questions about
               the policy and several rounds of instructions
               to Parliamentary Counsel, it was immensely
               satisfying seeing the clauses I’d worked
               on appear in the first draft of the Bill and
               interesting to watch these clauses debated in
               Parliament!

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What’s been your best
               experience since joining?
               In my first training seat providing legal
               services to the Department for Business,
               Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), I was
               given the responsibility (while supervised) of
               drafting a statutory instrument (SI), which
               is a piece of secondary legislation. The SI
               expanded the scope of the Regulators’
               Compliance Code to include more regulators.
               Having consulted, alongside BEIS policy
               clients, with various regulators, drafted the
               SI and briefed a Lord before it was due to be
               debated in the House of Lords, I was very
               proud to see my SI come into force!

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Christie
               Monaghan
               Barrister

               HM Revenue
               and Customs
               (HMRC)

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Why did you choose to become
               a government Lawyer?
               Similarly to many people who are interested
               in a career in law, I wanted to pursue a career
               which had a real and tangible impact. As
               a trainee you have, at a very early stage in
               your legal career, the ability to get involved in
               cases which are high profile, high value and
               legally complex. The outcomes can make
               an actual difference to legislation enacted
               and how cases are dealt with in the future.
               I was also very attracted by the prospect of
               being able to work in different departments
               throughout my career.

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What type of work were you
               involved in during your training?
               After returning from chambers, I worked in
               HMRC’s Enforcement and Insolvency team.
               This was a very varied team and the work
               I was involved in reflects as much. I had
               my own caseload and also assisted other
               members of the team with cases they were
               working on. I conducted hearings in the High
               Court, the Central Family Court and in the
               Magistrates’ Courts. In addition, I had the
               opportunity to draft various court orders,
               witness statements and pieces of advice.

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What’s been your best
               experience since joining?
               My first time ‘on my feet’ in court. I had to
               draft the order while the hearing was ongoing
               whilst also trying to liaise with counsel for
               an interested party! It was very stressful
               but the court granted what I was seeking
               and it was a huge sense of satisfaction and
               achievement.

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Beena
               Kabir
               Solicitor

               Government
               Legal Department
               (GLD)

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Why did you choose to become
               a government lawyer?
               The work in government really is very different
               from anywhere else. You are able to gain
               experience in dealing with legal and political
               issues, which are interesting, high profile and
               often in the media. I wanted exposure to a wide
               range of legal matters and GLD was able to
               offer this.

               What type of work were you
               involved in during your training?
               I had a seat in a team which provided advice
               to government departments and ministers on

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EU law issues which could involve any topic
               including environmental issues, migration,
               intellectual property, taxation and monetary
               policy. The work often involved complex
               areas of law and ensuring that national
               provisions complied with EU legislation.
               I drafted a Designation Order (SI) which
               was subsequently published. I advised the
               Home Office on how to notify the European
               Commission with regards to retaining national
               provisions in relation to marking explosives.
               I also attended a hearing in the Court of
               Justice of the European Union about evasion
               of tax.

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What’s been your best
               experience since joining?
               There were many but working on the Children
               and Families Bill during my seat at the
               Department for Education stands out the
               most. This was invaluable as I gained first-
               hand experience in meeting and providing
               advice to ministers, clearing policy and
               speech notes as well as going to Parliament
               to watch debates on the Bill. It was a great
               opportunity to understand and be part of a
               Bill as it progressed through Parliament and
               received Royal Assent.

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Martin
               Jordison
               Solicitor

               Government
               Legal Department
               (GLD)

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Why did you choose to become
               a government lawyer?
               As an existing civil servant (I previously spent
               11 years with the Crown Prosecution Service),
               GLD was a natural home for me. I enjoy the
               opportunities to become involved in both
               public and private law areas of work. Above
               all, the range of law is second to none.

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What type of work were you
               involved in during your training?
               My final seat was based in an advisory team in
               the Department for Education. I was involved
               in some high profile education matters of
               national importance which dominated the
               headlines, specifically within the Academies
               and Free Schools programme. There was a
               lot of work in drafting new legislation and its
               consequential and associated regulations
               saw me working directly with policy colleagues
               (clients), assisting and supporting on ministerial
               briefings and providing legal support, including
               in a session in Parliament.

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What’s been your best
               experience since joining?
               Being involved in urgent, high profile work
               which was receiving wide exposure in the
               media. The coverage and dominance of the
               matters added a dimension of realism and
               emphasised the significance and national
               importance of the work.

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Matthew Fogg
            Solicitor

            Government
            Legal Department
            (GLD)

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Why did you choose to become
               a government lawyer?
               I’m fascinated by politics, and providing
               legal support to government decisions is an
               integral part of this. It’s unique legal work,
               drafting as well as applying legislation,
               and supporting ministers in decisions of
               fundamental importance to the country. The
               work is often high profile; as a trainee I’ve
               been involved in litigation in the Supreme
               Court. Departments ensure that all lawyers
               have a challenging workload and a healthy
               work-life balance.

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What type of work were you
               involved in during your training?
               During my litigation seats I had a significant
               degree of responsibility and management
               over many small cases. I also worked on
               larger cases, including ClientEarth’s air quality
               challenge and the class action by part-time
               judges on judicial pensions. My advisory
               seats in the Department for Business,
               Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the
               Department for Exiting the European Union
               (DExEU) involved advising on nuclear energy
               policy and Brexit. This included supporting
               Brexit negotiations and working on the EU
               (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

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What’s been your best
               experience since joining?
               I’ve had many great experiences, but it was
               greatly significant to me to support and
               attend a hearing at the EU Court of Justice
               in Luxembourg. I learned a lot working on
               this interesting intellectual property case, and
               having particularly enjoyed studying EU law
               it was a privilege to attend a hearing at the
               Court of Justice, to help represent the UK’s
               position.

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Joining us
               It’s not just the work that is unique. The approach to graduate
               recruitment is different to that adopted by many other
               employers.

               Factors such as the school you attended, the A levels you
               obtained, your university or your degree subject do not form
               part of the decision-making process. In fact, the only time any
               personal information about you is seen is at the Assessment
               Centre stage and this is restricted to your name and any
               work experience. The information you provide on any work
               experience may be used to assist with questioning.
               The type of skills and behaviours we are looking for are listed
               opposite and the extent to which you can demonstrate these
               will ultimately determine whether you are offered a position.

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Making effective decisions – Using evidence and
               knowledge to support accurate, expert decisions and advice.
               Carefully considering alternative options, implications and
               risks of decisions.
               Communicating and influencing – Communicating purpose
               and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm. Respecting
               the needs, responses and opinions of others.

               Working together – Forming effective partnerships
               and relationships with people from a range of diverse
               backgrounds, sharing information, resources and support.
               Delivering at pace – delivering timely and quality results with
               focus and drive.

               Developing self and others – Focussing on continuous
               learning and development.
               Motivation – Having a clear interest in and motivation for the
               law, public service and the work of government lawyers.

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Eligibility
               Before you apply for a place on the legal trainee scheme, you
               must ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria.
               Nationality

               The Civil Service nationality rules apply.
               Applications can be accepted from:
               • UK nationals
               • European Economic Area (EEA) nationals
               • Swiss nationals and, in some circumstances, Turkish
                 nationals
               • Commonwealth citizens

               Full details about these requirements and exceptions can be
               found on the Civil Service website.
               If you hold dual nationality, with one part being British, you
               may apply.

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Immigration status
               In addition to meeting the Civil Service nationality requirements,
               you must also be legally entitled to work in the UK.
               Degree criterion

               You must have, or be predicted to obtain, a minimum of a 2:2
               in an undergraduate degree. This does not have to be in law.

               Alternatively, if you hold a Certificate of Academic Standing
               or Equivalent Means from the Bar Standards Board (BSB) or
               the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), you will be eligible
               to apply. Fellows and graduate members of CILEx who have
               satisfied the SRA’s academic stage of training are also eligible.
               Timing: degree stage

               Applications are welcomed from people who graduated some time
               ago as well as those recent graduates. For current undergraduates:
               • candidates studying law cannot apply any earlier than the
                  penultimate year of their degree
               • candidates studying a non-law degree and Scots law
                  students cannot apply any earlier than their final year.

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Recruitment process
               and calendar
               The application process will be open for a month in July 2019.
               The initial stages of the recruitment process have previously
               involved a number of online tests for example a Situational
               Judgement Test (SJT), a Verbal Reasoning Test (VRT) and a
               Critical Reasoning Test (CRT).

               The final stage has involved a half-day assessment centre
               (comprising a written exercise and interview). The assessment
               centre usually takes place during August.
               Please note: The timetable and recruitment arrangements
               are kept under review and may be subject to change. Please
               check the website for updates.

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Course fees and salary
               Course fees
               Departments will pay your Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar
               Professional Training Course (BPTC) fees in full provided you
               have not yet started the course. There is no preference which
               law or Bar school you attend.

               Departments will make a proportional payment based on the
               number of months remaining if you’ve started your course.

               Departments won’t reimburse you if you’ve successfully taken
               and passed your LPC or BPTC.
               You may be eligible for a grant of about £5,400 to £7,600
               for the vocational year if you intend to study for your LPC
               or BPTC on a full-time, or possibly, part-time basis. You’ll
               need to discuss your eligibility for a grant with the recruiting
               department at the offer stage.

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Salary
               Your salary as a trainee solicitor or pupil will vary according to
               your department and location.
               First year salaries are currently circa £28,000.

               The second year salaries are currently circa £32,000.
               Salaries for qualified lawyers also vary according to your
               department and location.
               Please note: salaries and terms and conditions are subject to
               review.

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Find out more
               Interested? To find out more, including information about the
               Diversity Summer Scheme, open days and the law fairs we will
               be attending during the autumn, please go to www.gov.uk/glp.

               You too could soon be playing an active role in legal
               work that really makes a difference.

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Contact Us
               Recruitment Team
               11th Floor

               Lower Castle Street

               Castlemead
               Bristol
               BS1 3AG

               govtrainees@tmpw.co.uk

               0845 3000 793 or
               0117 923 4417
               www.gov.uk/glp

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