Assistant Parliamentary Counsel in London

The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel is a team within the Civil Service of around 50 lawyers and 10 support staff. Our main role is to draft Government Bills for introduction into Parliament and Government amendments to Bills as they go through Parliament on their way to becoming Acts. Parliament can legislate about anything, so our work covers a wide variety of subjects and we do not specialise in any particular area of law. The Bills we draft can be hugely politically significant and topical, but may also be niche, specialised or technical.

Because we may need to deal with legislation affecting any aspect of modern life, we recognise the importance of being a diverse organisation composed of excellent lawyers from a wide range of backgrounds. We are committed to producing clear and effective legislation to the highest possible standards in the public interest. We lead the legislative drafting profession within Government and work to promote high standards of drafting and awareness of the principles underpinning good law.

Assistant Parliamentary Counsel (APCs) assist in all aspects of the Office’s work with a view to being able to take the lead on a Bill once they are promoted to the grade of Deputy Director. APCs are supervised in their work, with the level of supervision reducing as they grow in expertise and experience, but will be responsible for drafting legislation from the beginning of their time in the Office.

The main tasks of an APC are:

• To assist in drafting Bills which are effective, clearly written and well-structured;
• To work with officials across Government to ensure that the process of Bill preparation, publication and Parliamentary handling is handled effectively and efficiently;
• To provide advice to Government departments on parliamentary procedure;
• To review, draft and advise on some subordinate legislation;
• To contribute to the training and development of other drafters, departmental lawyers, policy advisers and members of Bill teams;
• To contribute actively to the wider objectives of the Office.

We have an extensive induction and training programme, though new APCs usually find they learn most on the job from working with more experienced colleagues. Once they reach the required standard to take the lead on a Bill, APCs can expect to be promoted to Parliamentary Counsel at the grade of Deputy Director.

It is important that, through your CV and supporting statement, you provide evidence of the professional skills, breadth of experience and personal qualities for this post. We are looking for lawyers who are motivated to produce legislation of the highest quality and who have the following skills and attributes:

• Excellent powers of analysis and reliable judgement;
• Ability to express complex ideas clearly, coherently and accurately;
• Ability to master new information at speed, work under pressure and deliver at pace;
• Ability to problem solve and come up with creative solutions;
• Ability to work collaboratively;
• Good self-awareness and a commitment to learning and developing as a professional.

You should have a good honours degree (2:1 or above or an overseas equivalent) in any subject. Applicants who do not have a 2:1 degree are considered only where they provide strong evidence of equivalent high level academic and/or professional achievement. You must be qualified to practise as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales or Northern Ireland or a solicitor or advocate in Scotland.

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application via CS Jobs by no later than 23.55, Monday 2nd February 2026. The online application will require you to confirm you meet the minimum qualification criteria as to academic and professional qualifications, provide a CV containing a brief overview of your career, and provide a statement of suitability.