Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead high-profile litigation cases and provide legal advice on national importance matters.
- Company: Join the Government Legal Department, the largest provider of legal services across government.
- Benefits: Enjoy a supportive environment, Civil Service pension, and continuous learning opportunities.
- Other info: Exciting opportunity to work on global issues and contribute to a modern civil service.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on public life while developing your legal expertise.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in public law, litigation, and team leadership.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 ÂŁ per year.
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.
Closing date for applications Tues. 5th May 2026 at 12:00 Midday.
Senior Litigation Lawyer employer: Government Legal Department
Contact Detail:
Government Legal Department Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Litigation Lawyer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at the Government Legal Department. A friendly chat can give us insider info on what they look for in candidates and might even lead to a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your public law knowledge. We should be ready to discuss recent high-profile cases and how they relate to the role. Show them we’re not just knowledgeable but also passionate about the work!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice our leadership skills! Since this role involves managing others, let’s think of examples where we’ve successfully led a team or project. Being able to demonstrate our leadership style will set us apart.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure our application gets seen. Plus, it shows we’re serious about joining the GLD team and ready to contribute to their mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Litigation Lawyer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight your experience in public law and litigation. We want to see how your skills align with the specific needs of the GLD, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Leadership Skills: As a Senior Litigation Lawyer, you'll be leading teams, so it's crucial to demonstrate your leadership abilities. Share examples of how you've managed and developed other lawyers or professionals in your previous roles.
Be Clear and Concise: Effective communication is key! Ensure your written application is clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured responses that convey your thoughts without unnecessary fluff—make every word count!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our official website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity at GLD!
How to prepare for a job interview at Government Legal Department
✨Know Your Public Law Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your public law knowledge, especially around judicial reviews and constitutional matters. Familiarise yourself with recent high-profile cases that the Government Legal Department has been involved in, as this will show your genuine interest and understanding of the role.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Senior Litigation Lawyer, you'll be expected to lead and manage teams. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led a team or managed complex cases in the past. Highlight your ability to mentor others and how you’ve contributed to building capability within your team.
✨Showcase Your Multitasking Abilities
This role requires juggling multiple high-profile cases at once. Be ready to discuss specific instances where you've effectively managed competing priorities and delivered results under pressure. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Effective communication is key in this role. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly, both verbally and in writing. You might be asked to explain complex legal concepts, so ensure you can do this in a straightforward manner that demonstrates your expertise without overwhelming your audience.