Senior Litigation Lawyer

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.

The lawyers in our Litigation Directorate work on a wide range of high‑profile cases, many of which involve questions of constitutional importance. The public law litigation practice focuses on judicial review challenges, while the private law practice represents the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Defence and other large Government departments. All our lawyers manage complex and varied caseloads, operate in a supportive team environment, and play a vital coordination role when litigation involves cross‑cutting issues for diverse departments.

Your role

You will be working in one of the following divisions within the Litigation Directorate: Defence and Security; Home Office and Immigration; Justice and Development; Public Inquiries. You’ll conduct litigation on behalf of government, providing legal advice on litigation, disputes, contentious and some advisory matters. You’ll manage your own complex and challenging caseload in both public and private law teams. It’s essential that you are comfortable working at pace and exercising judgement in relation to matters of national importance.

As a Grade 6 Senior Lawyer, you’ll have an important leadership role within your team and contribute to the Litigation Directorate as a whole. You’ll be responsible for line managing and supervising up to five Grade 7 Lawyers and/or leading a mini team of up to ten people, including paralegal and litigation support staff. As a strong leader and communicator, you’ll role‑model sound professional skills and help to build capability in line with corporate objectives.

Security and eligibility

All GLD employees must hold BPSS. If successful for this role, you must hold or be willing to obtain Developed Vetting (DV+ Enhanced checks). You may start in post while obtaining the required clearances; continued appointment will be conditional on successfully obtaining and maintaining them. This role is reserved for UK nationals and requires the post‑holder to hold DV+ Enhanced Checks. Sponsorship for a skilled worker visa is not available for this role.

About you

To be suitable, you’ll bring excellent all‑round legal skills and knowledge, especially in public law and litigation. You have significant experience of managing fast‑paced, risk‑based, solution‑focused legal work. Confident working in a diverse and busy team, you have a proven ability to lead, manage, develop and supervise other lawyers and professionals. As well as being a superb multitasker, you’re a strategic and creative thinker with reliable judgement. You’re able to manage complex and high‑profile matters while seeing legal issues in their wider organisational, political and operational context and exercising sound judgement. You can conduct sound analysis and use secure legal research skills to produce timely and fit‑for‑purpose advice. Effective oral and written communication skills are crucial.

Benefits

GLD encourages its people to develop their skills in a supportive environment. Other benefits include access to a valuable Civil Service pension and learning and development opportunities. 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 to join GLD, with cutting‑edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is helping the Department exemplify the Modern Civil Service.