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Senior Lawyer – Litigation Group
London
£65,647 (London)

 

Manage a complex and varied caseload as a senior member of our high-profile team

 

Who we are

The Government Legal Department (GLD) is the largest provider of legal services across government, working with all the main Whitehall departments. From roads to rivers, and health to human rights, our work touches on most aspects of public life. We have more than 14 client-facing advisory teams who provide legal advice on the development, design and implementation of government policies and decisions, draft secondary legislation and work with Parliamentary Counsel on primary legislation. Our vision is to be trusted by government to provide excellent and value for money services so departments want to come to us to meet their legal needs, to be known throughout the legal profession for the quality of our work, and to be the best employer for our people.

The role

GLD’s litigation lawyers conduct a wide range of cases, frequently involving questions of constitutional importance. Our public law litigation practice covers the full range of judicial review challenges in areas such as justice, health, defence, immigration, planning and national security as well as the Government’s wide ranging reform agenda. We also have a substantial private law practice representing Government departments such as the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence. Our senior litigators manage complex and varied caseloads within a team environment, working alongside counsel from the Attorney General’s Panels.

We currently have a number of vacancies for Senior Lawyers in teams within the Litigation Group, and if you join us you’ll lead, manage and develop up to five Junior Lawyers or a team of up to ten Paralegals and other staff as you hold a caseload of complex cases in both the private and public law teams. Using all your specialist knowledge and expertise, you’ll focus on conducting litigation on behalf of the government, and providing legal advice on litigation, disputes, contentious and some advisory matters for a full range of clients.

Working at pace and exercising judgment in relation to matters of national importance, you’ll work proactively and collaboratively with external delivery partners, helping to quality control their input, and assist them with the timely and cost effective delivery of their tasks. You’ll also support other Senior Lawyers and team’s Deputy Director in the successful delivery of our work as you help to build capability throughout our organisation.

About you

To be successful in one of these roles you’ll have a minimum of a 2.1 honours degree in your first degree (or its overseas equivalent) or evidence of high level academic and/or professional achievement, for example through experience and results achieved for the Graduate Diploma in Law, Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course. You must be qualified to practice as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales, and you’ll have completed a training contract/pupillage/qualifying employment or have been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx.

Chartered Legal Executives are eligible to apply where a qualifying law degree is held or the Graduate Diploma in Law has been completed, or where CILEx Level 6 exams have been passed at 50% or above in Contract Law, Criminal Law, Equity and Trusts Law, European Union Law, Land Law, Public Law and the Law of Tort.

You’ll be expected to demonstrate clear, enthusiastic communication and leadership abilities as well as strong skills of legal and strategic analysis, sound judgement and pragmatism. Ready to make a valuable contribution to the wider team and the department by playing a proactive role in matters such as knowledge management, training, projects and other corporate opportunities, you’ll welcome the views and challenges of others, and be prepared to promote or defend your actions and decisions.

Committed to managing a quality service by understanding the complexity and diversity of our customers’ needs and expectations, you’ll have the ability to consider a broad range of methods for delivery while managing risks and identifying solutions. We’ll also expect you to prioritise and role-model continuous self-learning and development, identify areas where individuals and teams need to develop, and ensure that development opportunities are available for all your colleagues.

Apply before Midday on Monday 19th June 2023