Careers
What to expect as a GLS trainee
Working in the GLS can give lots of variety
Trainees’ experience will vary according to the departmental legal team to which they are allocated and due to the large number of departments there is plenty of scope.
Broadly speaking, though, Government Legal Service (GLS) trainees can expect to
- work in a legal team which advises Ministers or policy officials on what can (and can't) be done under existing legislation and helping to prepare and draft new legislation if necessary;
- be involved in Private Law cases, where, for example an individual brings an action against a government body;
- participate in Public Law cases in which the courts seek to judicially review administrative decisions taken by the government or local authorities.
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"Training at the Government Legal Service (GLS) is as diverse as the number of departments within the GLS"
Structure of Training Contract
During the course of the two year training contract, trainee solicitors will spend time in four key areas of practice (known as ‘seats’). Each ‘seat’ lasts six months. Generally speaking, trainee solicitors will have at least one seat in a litigation team and one in an advisory team.
Where necessary (for example, in those instances where a government department does not have its own in-house litigation team) trainees may spend one or two seats in another department’s legal team.
The exact structure of a training contract will vary, since the work of departmental legal teams will relate to the wider objectives of their departments. That said, in accordance with the recommendations made by the Law Society, throughout your training contract you will gain experience of communication and practice support, legal research, writing and drafting, interviewing and advising, negotiation, advocacy and oral presentation.
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Pupil Barristers - Structure of Pupillage
Your Pupillage will last 12 months and your time will be split between a Government Legal Service (GLS) legal team and a set of external Barristers’ Chambers. The structure of the pupillage varies between departments, but you will either spend the first six months, or middle four months, in a set of Chambers and the remainder with a departmental legal team. So, the patterns are, 6/6 (6 in Chambers and 6 in a Government Legal Service (GLS) team) or 4/4/4 (4 in the Government Legal Service (GLS)/4 out with Chambers/4 in the Government Legal Service (GLS)).
Throughout your pupillage, you’ll be involved in the wide range of work in which your department and Chambers are involved. You’ll attend court (initially with your supervisor), carry out research for other lawyers and draft opinions. Once the first six months of your pupillage is complete, you’ll have the opportunity to conduct your own advocacy in court.
While some Government Legal Service (GLS) departments do continue to provide the opportunity to practice advocacy after the completion of your pupillage, applicants should note that, on the whole, advocacy opportunities within the Government Legal Service (GLS) are limited. Applicants who wish to focus purely on a career in advocacy should bear this in mind.
James Murphy
Government Legal Service Secretariat
20-09-2009
