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Commercial Transactional Lawyers

Employer
Government Legal Department (GLD)
Location
Central London, Leeds, Bristol and Croydon.
Salary
Grade 7 - £50,500 - £61,000 (London) and £48,985 - £58,000 (national) Legal Officer - £43,916
Closing date
8 Aug 2022

Job Details

Unique and high-profile work for Government

The Government Legal Department (GLD) is looking for highly capable qualified lawyers to join our Commercial Law Group (CLGp) where we can offer a challenging and exciting career.  We have opportunities to join as commercial transactional lawyers.

Commercial transactional lawyers within GLD provide legal advice to government departments and public bodies on some of the most important and interesting matters in the country which are frequently scrutinised in Parliament and the media. Our clients are government departments such as the Home Office, the Department for International Trade, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Justice, to name just a few. We offer broad and unrivalled career opportunities within CLGp and as part of wider GLD.

We would be delighted to receive applications from talented, motivated candidates whatever stage you are at in your legal career. Whether you are newly qualified, looking to ‘do something different’, or returning to work after a break, CLGp is a supportive and collegiate place to work offering interesting and worthwhile work.

HEADLINE INFORMATION

These vacancies are for permanent roles in CLGp, across our national based teams in central London, Leeds, Croydon and Bristol. We have roles that can be worked full-time, part-time or as part of a job share. For certain roles, some travel may be required. Our salary range for Grade 7 lawyers is £50,500 - £61,000 (central London) and £48,985 - £58,000 (national). There is potential for a starting salary increase, based on experience and specialist skills. For those joining us with less than 3 years’ PQE the salary is a non-negotiable £43,916 (central London/national).  Once these candidates reach 3 years’ PQE, or are in service for one year, whichever comes sooner, they will move to the relevant, location based, Grade 7 starting salary.

 

LOCATION: Candidates may be based in any GLD national office, which are in central London, Leeds (our new office - Wellington Place Government hub), Bristol and Croydon. Some of our London teams are co-located in departmental client’s offices. GLD operates a hybrid work model – office based and working from home – you will be able to work from home for up to 60% of your contacted hours, spending the remainder of your time in your contracted location.

APPOINTMENT TERM:                                   Permanent

 

NUMBER OF POSTS:                                     Commercial Transactional - 12

 

SALARY:                                                  Grade 7 - £50,500 - £61,000 (London) and £48,985 - £58,000 (national)  Legal Officer - £43,916 (central London/national) (up to 3 years PQE)  

PATTERNS:                                                     Full time / Part time / Job share

 

TRAVEL REQUIRED:                                      Sometimes

 

CRB REQUIRED:                                            Yes

 

GUARANTEED INTERVIEW SCHEME:         Yes

 

RESERVED/NON-RESERVED:                      Non-reserved

 

THE 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.

GLD has, at its core, client-facing advisory teams who provide legal advice across government on the development, design and implementation of government policies and decisions, draft secondary legislation and work with Parliamentary Counsel on primary legislation. In addition, we provide specialist and expert legal support in litigation, employment and commercial law to a wide range of government departments and public bodies.

GLD’s vision is to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and also a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfil our potential.

OUR CAREER OFFER While previous experience or knowledge may be relevant to some vacancies, government work is likely to involve a rapid learning curve to acquire legal skills and knowledge not required in private practice. Strong intellectual and analytical skills are important. We will provide support to help you acquire the necessary expertise and have a thriving in-house training programme.

GLD encourages its people to develop their skills and provides opportunities to move between advisory, litigation, employment and commercial law services during their careers, should they wish to do so. 

THE COMMERICIAL LAW GROUP CLGp is a dynamic and specialist commercial legal service, which was launched in June 2014, to create for the first time, a single expert source of commercial legal advice across government. 

Whilst our legal work is often novel and challenging, CLGp is friendly and welcoming, with a strong culture of collaborating and supporting one another. Feedback from our lawyers taking part in the most recent Civil Service People Survey demonstrates that staff can rely upon each other to help when things get difficult, are treated fairly at work and are proud to work for CLGp and GLD.

There are approximately 190 lawyers in CLGp, led by Justinia Lewis, our Legal Director. The Group is divided into smaller teams, ranging in size from 8 to 33 lawyers with all-encompassing support from our Business Management Team. CLGp currently has 6 legal teams providing commercial law support to a range of government departments as well as our litigation team that conducts commercial litigation and provides dispute resolution services to central government. We also have a Property Hub, which advises on specialist property matters. Our clients include:

  • Home Office
  • Department for Education
  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
  • Department for Work and Pensions
  • Ministry of Justice
  • Department of Health and Social Care
  • Cabinet Office
  • Department for International Trade
  • Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
  • Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
  • Crown Commercial Service
  • Government Digital Service
  • Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
  • HM Treasury
  • Ministry of Defence
  • Department for Transport
  • Intellectual Property Office
  • Arm’s Lengths Bodies and executive Agencies such as the Legal Aid Agency

There is increasing demand for CLGp services, largely due to new policy areas and government priorities proposing new ways of delivering services, the need to drive value from departmental contracts and new purchasing requirements across government. CLGp offers some of the most interesting, varied, complex and high-profile commercial in-house work available here in the UK. 

We have been at the forefront of supporting commercial efforts to meet the challenges of Covid19 and EU Exit, as well as supporting a range of other projects from supporting COP26 and international expos to a new legal aid scheme, future farming, prison building, refugee accommodation, disputes around cross-channel freight capacity, high value contract disputes relating to Covid19 PPE and Testing, construction and IT/telecoms and the KickStart scheme for 16-24 year olds. 

We are conducting litigation and dispute resolution in relation to high profile, high value procurements and contractual disputes related to Covid19, such as contracts for PPE and testing, and for MoD.

The work is broad but we do not expect candidates to cover every area when they join us. However, successful candidates can expect to play a key role in delivering some of the most high profile, complex and far reaching commercial/litigation projects in government. 

Due to the breadth of work CLGp carries out, as well as the number of government departments we support, we pride ourselves on our understanding of the wider public sector context. All of our people will have a good practical working understanding of commercial law and public procurement law principles, with expertise being found in these areas over time.

One of our recent new recruits had this to say about CLGp and her early time with us; “I joined CLGp in October 2021 and have felt welcomed and valued since day 1.  My work is challenging and often politically sensitive, but I am fully supported by my team and I know I can always ask for help. It is a great feeling advising on matters which really make a difference to the public, whilst also achieving a work/life balance”.

Newly qualified lawyers are encouraged to join CLGp and develop their careers with us. Those joining CLGp with under one year’s post qualification experience will join CLGp’s ‘2+2’ scheme, where they will spend 2 years working in one CLGp team immediately followed by a further 2 years working in another CLGp team. This ensures excellent variety during the early years in CLGp, offering an unparalleled opportunity to quickly consolidate skills as a government commercial lawyer and establishes a broad foundation for a career in CLGp.

For further information on our Commercial Transactional Teams, please scroll to pages 13-15 at the end of this document.

 

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA At sift stage you will be assessed on the following Motivational Fit and Technical Legal Skills criteria:

Motivational Fit:

  • your motivation to join CLGp and how you feel you will contribute effectively to such a role with GLD
  • an understanding of the role of lawyers in government

Technical Legal Skills

  • ability to analyse legal commercial problems
  • a constructive approach to solving problems
  • ability to provide legally sound, risk-based advice
  • sound commercial legal judgement
  • ability to communicate advice effectively both in writing and orally
  • able to draft commercial contracts commercial and contract law experience

At interview stage you will be assessed on the following 5 criteria, alongside strength-based questions:

Motivational Fit:

  • your motivation to join CLGp and how you feel you will contribute effectively to such a role with GLD
  • an understanding of the role of lawyers in government

Technical Legal Skills

  • ability to analyse legal commercial problems
  • a constructive approach to solving problems
  • ability to provide legally sound, risk-based advice
  • sound commercial legal judgement
  • ability to communicate advice effectively both in writing and orally
  • ability to negotiate effectively
  • able to draft commercial contracts
  • commercial and contract law experience

Behaviour - Communicating and Influencing:

  • communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust
  • deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand

Behaviour - Managing a Quality Service:

  • demonstrate a commitment to excellent customer service by understanding the complexity and diversity of customer needs and expectations
  • deliver a high quality, efficient and cost effective service by considering a broad range of methods for delivery
  • proactively manage risks and identify solutions

Behaviour - Working Together:

  • actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on shared objectives
  • challenge assumptions while being willing to compromise if beneficial to progress
  • create an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are taken into account and bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable

We will hold informal virtual Engagement Sessions for would be applicants for these roles, so you can get to meet us and find out more about us and our work. This will be attended by senior legal managers and lawyers. We will provide more detailed information on CLGp and the exciting and wide ranging work we do, as well as providing you with the chance to ask questions. 

These sessions are expected to take place on Tuesday 14 June and Monday 20 June (5:30pm – 6:50pm).  For further information, please email the contact listed below, including details of which post you are applying for and your preferred date of attendance:

CLGPResourcing@governmentlegal.gov.uk

For further information about Civil Service recruitment processes and Success profiles, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles

MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Academic Applicants should have a minimum of a 2:1 honours degree in their first degree (in any subject). Where an applicant holds an overseas degree qualification this should be equivalent to a 2.1 degree. GLD will consider applicants who do not have a 2.1 degree but only where satisfactory evidence of equivalent high level academic and/or professional achievement can be provided (e.g. via relevant experience and results achieved for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE, Legal Practice Course (LPC), Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)).

Professional Qualifications Applicants must be qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales (or will be qualified 3 months from application date). You must have completed a training contract/pupillage/qualifying employment, or have been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx. Applicants qualified in a jurisdiction outside England and Wales will be required to undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE - previously the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme, or QLTS) within 5 years of appointment, and employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of the SQE within this time period. GLD offers some partial funding for the SQE, however applicants should note that there is also a cost to the individual.

Professional entry criteria for Chartered Legal Executives (i.e. Fellows): Chartered Legal Executives are eligible to apply where (i) a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) is held; or (ii) the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE has been completed; or (iii) where exams have been passed (i.e. a score of 50% or above achieved), at CILEx Level 6*, in all of the following seven foundation subjects in law:

  1. Contract Law
  2. Criminal Law
  3. Equity and Trusts Law
  4. European Union Law
  5. Land Law
  6. Public Law
  7. Law of Tort

* Note: There are specific requirements relating to academic achievement in the CILEx Level 6 exams where these are being used to demonstrate 2.1 degree equivalence as set out below.

Chartered Legal Executives should note that GLD will be willing to accept an, overall, average score of 65% or above across exams passed in the seven foundation subjects in law (where studied at CILEx Level 6) as demonstrating 2.1 degree equivalence (where a 2.1 degree is not held).

 

WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU APPLY:

  1. You register your interest and submit your application. You will be asked to provide a response on Motivational Fit (500 words/3000 characters) and Technical Legal Skills (limit of 700 words/4500 characters).  You should refer closely to the essential criteria mentioned above for both Motivational Fit and Legal Technical Skills when completing your application, and wherever possible, demonstrate through your examples how your skills match the person specification.  It will not be sufficient to reiterate the criteria; you are expected to illustrate how you have met the requirements.
  2. Candidates who meet the required standard will have their applications sifted by a CLGp sift panel. Please note detailed feedback will not be given following sift, however sift scores will be made available.
  3.  If you are invited to interview you will be required to complete a written legal exercise immediately before your interview, under timed conditions. This exercise will assess both Legal Professional Skills and the Communicating and Influencing behaviour. You will be asked to consider the scenario and present your findings at the start of the interview. You will then be asked follow up questions.
  4. Following the legal exercise you will be asked a number of questions relating to the remaining essential skills required; Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service and Working Together, as well as 2 strength based questions (these help identify the things you do regularly, do well and motivate you).
  5. As we have vacancies across all our offices, you will be interviewed remotely by a CLGp panel via a video conference call. All details will be sent a week before your interview slot to ensure you are fully prepared ahead of schedule.  Interviews normally last between 40 and 60 minutes.  Any candidate applying must have access to video with audio availability. Candidates who may have any issues with this should contact the following email address - MB-GovQualified@tmpw.co.uk
  6. We will allocate successful candidates to the most suitable vacancy available at the time of our offer, taking into account performance at interview and experience. We may hold a reserve list if the number of successful candidates after interview exceeds the number of available vacancies.

Company

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.

The department has 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 cross-cutting expert service groups for Litigation, Employment and Commercial Law provide specialist legal services to a wide range of government departments and public bodies.

We are a non-ministerial government department with more than 2,300 employees, around 1,800 of whom are solicitors or barristers. The department is based primarily in London but has teams in Bristol, Manchester, and Leeds. 

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