Commercial Property Lawyer

Closing date for applications: 15th June

Much more than law. 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, and from roads and rivers to health and human rights, our work touches on most aspects of public life. Developing and drafting legislation, helping to secure economic and trade relationships, providing legal advice on policies and ensuring value from contracts, our work is as varied as it is stimulating.

The Commercial Law Group reflects the importance of commercial skills to government, as new projects and programmes are increasingly delivered through commercial arrangements. Working in small, collaborative teams, our lawyers combine legal expertise on all aspects of the government's commercial relationships with broad knowledge of public law and government. Our work is often at the forefront of major initiatives and involves many of the government’s highest profile and most sensitive matters.

The Group’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) Property team provides property law advice to the MoD, which is the largest UK Government department and the second largest landowner in the UK. A key role in this work falls to the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the MoD’s department which provides the armed forces and their families with fit-for-purpose accommodation. All our lawyers have a high level of responsibility and focus on some of the most challenging, interesting, varied, complex and high‑profile commercial legal work available.

Your role: When you join us in this significant role you’ll focus on a number of different tasks. These include:

• Advising on real estate projects and transactions in MoD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation
• Working with external lawyers on initial business planning decisions
• Assisting with commercial property law issues
• Working on private finance initiative issues
• Drafting contractual documentation
• Negotiating with buyers and tenants to ensure the best possible arrangements are put in place
• Advising on property law issues within commercial projects where infrastructure requirements arise
• Advising on property law issues within wider cross‑government initiatives
• Working closely with colleagues in the MoD’s Commercial and General Law teams

In order to carry out your work successfully you’ll need to have BPSS security clearance, and must hold or be willing to obtain SC level clearance. You cannot start this position until you have obtained the higher security clearance. More information about the vetting process can be found here. You should also be prepared to travel to meetings at sites around the UK.

About you: To be a success in this role you should possess reliable legal judgement, well‑developed knowledge of commercial property law, and be capable of using your intellectual and analytical skills as you advise clients on a wide range of matters, including the drafting of documents and the solving of strategic issues. In addition, we’ll look for strong verbal and written communication skills, and a good understanding of the role of lawyers in Government. You’ll be working in a busy, fast‑paced environment, so we’ll expect you to be highly motivated and proactive, and capable of working both independently and as a member of a friendly, collaborative team. In addition, experience of planning and environmental law in a property transaction context would be desirable.

You should 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 been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx. 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)). 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.

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.