The Government Legal Profession Jobs

Government Legal Profession’s 2023 Legal Trainee Scheme (trainee solicitor and pupil barrister positions) has now closed for applications.

There are currently no live jobs for this employer

Training Contract

As a trainee, you’ll be allocated to one of the departments that offers places to legal trainees. These are: The Government Legal Department (GLD), Government Legal Department (GLD) Commercial, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA).

If your application is successful you will be allocated to one of the recruiting departments i.e. GLD, GLD Commercial (CLGp and DfT), HMRC, NCA or CMA.

Your training will be the responsibility of that department. The nature of your training will vary according to the department you have been allocated to.

As part of your training you will be given a broad range of experience in government legal work.

If you have a particular interest in commercial law, you may wish to consider applying for the trainee positions available on GLD’s Commercial Law scheme.

Departments only offer full 2-year training contracts or QWE (to those following the SQE route) and do not take into account previous training or QWE completed elsewhere.

Pupillage structure

If your application is successful you will be allocated to one of the recruiting departments (ie GLD or HMRC).

Your training will be the responsibility of that department. The nature of your training will vary according to the department you have been allocated to.

Typically the training period offered by departments will last 2 years (and will not take into account previous training completed elsewhere).

During the pupillage period (the first 12 months) your time will be split between your department and a set of external barristers’ chambers. The remainder of the training period will be completed within your department.

You will be involved in the wide range of work in which your department and chambers are involved in. You may attend court with your supervisor, carry out research for other lawyers and draft opinions.

Government departments tend to use the services of external counsel for most of their court work.

Candidates wishing to focus principally on an advocacy career should bear this in mind.