Assistant Legal Advisers

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Salary: Grade 7 £56,000, Grade 6 £65,705

Hours: Full-time or substantial part-time; flexible (including job share)

Location: London

Permanent

Joining the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) means making a real difference to the world. Now uniting development and diplomacy in one new department, the FCDO pursues the UK’s national interests overseas. We assist British citizens, promote trade, safeguard the UK’s security and defend the nation’s values.

The FCDO Legal Directorate supports our strategic priorities and advises on all legal matters affecting our work both domestic and international. This is a diverse portfolio including questions of international law, public law, commercial law, the law of the overseas territories, EU law and human rights law. The role encompasses advisory work, litigation before international and domestic courts and tribunals and drafting secondary legislation. Our lawyers also represent the UK at bilateral and multinational meetings and negotiations, including in the United Nations and the Council of Europe.  We are now expanding our team to meet new challenges following the UK’s exit from the EU, and to deal with the wider demands of our merged departments.

This is an exciting opportunity to join one of six specialist teams as an Assistant Legal Adviser.  You will provide accurate, prompt and policy-friendly legal advice to Ministers and colleagues responsible for delivering the department’s objectives.  You will be highly collaborative and have the agility to operate in a stimulating and fast-moving environment.  More senior appointees can expect to take on line management responsibilities, lead on specific legal programmes and deliver advice in more complex or politically sensitive contexts. As you develop your career, you will have the opportunity to work across different teams to broaden your expertise.  We also have close links with the Government Legal Department, operating in partnership to offer joined up legal services across Government.

You will be a fully qualified barrister or solicitor in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or an advocate or solicitor in Scotland. Alternatively, you will be a fully qualified Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx). Your background could be in government, private or third-sector work, but you will have experience of public law, public international law or the law relating to the UK’s overseas territories plus either a 2:1 level degree, or a 2:2 level degree together with an LLM or equivalent postgraduate qualification in law.  (Qualifications must have been obtained by the time of application.) 

In return, you can look forward to a package that includes a high-quality pension scheme, a minimum of 25 days’ holiday (pro-rated), flexible working and excellent, long-term career development and training.

Closing date: 24^th May 2021