Employment Lawyers in Bristol

The Government Legal Department (GLD) is the largest provider of legal services across government, working with all the main Whitehall departments. From energy to security, from roads to rivers, health to human rights, our work touches on most aspects of public life. From developing and drafting legislation to helping to secure economic and trade relationships, providing legal advice on policies to ensuring value from contracts, our work is stimulating and varied.

Our highly collaborative and supportive Employment Directorate provides expert specialist advice and services to all GLD’s clients. Our work covers everything from Employment Tribunal claims and the conduct of complex multi-party litigation to advising on staff policies and terms and conditions, collective bargaining and departmental re-organisations. We handle litigation up to the Supreme Court and provide employment advice in the context of Ministers’ political and operational drivers, and the unique constitutional position of the civil service.

We’re currently looking for Lawyers and Legal Officers to join our busy country-wide offices. Taking on a varied range of responsibilities that could be litigation or advisory focused or within our TUPE and Transactional Hub or Industrial Relations Hub, you’ll deliver the high level strategic advice our clients expect. Always prepared to take into account the specific employment framework of the civil service and the varying appetite for legal risk of Ministers and their departments, you’ll devise solutions to staffing issues and the mitigation of risk.

Supported by a strong team culture and commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, you’ll contribute to client training, knowledge management and the supervision and mentoring of less experienced members of staff. You’ll also enjoy plenty of opportunities for your own development and career progression in this important area of our work.

To be a success in one of these roles you should be highly motivated and possess a well developed understanding of UK employment law gained through advising clients and conducting cases in the Employment Tribunal across a broad range of issues. Skilled at applying sound analysis, secure research and reliable legal judgement, you’ll be a strategic and creative thinker with a good understanding of how to approach legal risk. You should also have knowledge and experience of working in at least one of the following areas:

• Conducting employment litigation, mainly in the Employment Tribunal but also claims in the High Court and County Court
• Advising clients on a wide range of employment law matters
• Advising clients on the application of TUPE to commercial transactions and staff transfers within the public sector
• Advising clients on matters relating to industrial relations

You’ll be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales, and will have completed a training, contract, pupillage or qualifying employment, or have been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx. You’ll also need a minimum of a 2.1 honours degree in any subject in your first degree (or its overseas equivalent), or evidence of high-level academic or professional achievement, such as a Graduate Diploma in Law, Legal Practice Course or Bar Professional Training Course, any of which must be underpinned by practical experience.

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.

We will be holding a candidate information session for these roles on Microsoft Teams from 13:00 – 13:45 on Tuesday 17th March 2026. Candidates will have the opportunity to hear from Lawyers working within Employment Directorate, about what they do and their experiences working for government. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about the role. If you are interested in further information on this role, and to register your interest in advance please apply to the registration email address. You do not need to have submitted an application to join the session.

GLD encourages its people to develop their skills in a nurturing environment. Other benefits include access to a valuable civil service pension and flexible working arrangements.

Our vision is to be an outstanding legal organisation and a brilliant place to work where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. This is an exciting time for GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.

Closing date for applications: Noon Tuesday 31st March 2026. To apply please visit Employment Lawyer - Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK.