“Working on a government bill, then sitting behind a minister as it's debated in parliament is surreal”
Finding a purpose-led role
I'm one of those people that weirdly knew from quite a young age that I wanted to be a lawyer. But after my degree, I wanted a break from studying and did not want to go straight into the Legal Practice Course (LPC). Instead, I wanted to get some work experience and took up an internship at ABTA, a travel association.
I reflected on what made me enjoy my internship at ABTA. I realised it was the purpose of their work – working to improve the standards across the travel industry. My desire to find purpose in my work would drive where I headed next.
Next, I worked as a paralegal in an enforcement team at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), that carried out criminal and regulatory investigations. I was really motivated in this role – I could see a clear connection between the work I was doing, the mission of the regulator, and the benefits to the public.
The experience gave me clarity on the type of training contract I wanted. I looked for organisations where the work had a public impact. That led me to the Government Legal Department (GLD).
A day in the life
GLD trainees have a lot of responsibility. I had a caseload from day one and was calling the courts straight away. My supervisors always supported me and made sure I had access to work I was particularly interested in, which has really helped shape my experience.
I was the first trainee to qualify in our Manchester office. I opted to stay with my fourth seat team as a legal advisor for the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). We were working on a bill (a proposed law) before it was introduced into parliament, so I really wanted to continue to be involved as it goes through the legislative process. I’m still working on it now.
As a legal officer in an advisory role, my clients are policy officials – civil servants who develop the government's policy agenda. I take instructions from these clients and work with them on a day-to-day basis.
When we are working on the bill, my role often involves getting policy instructions from my clients. We then transfer these into legal instructions for the Office for Parliamentary Council (OPC) who draft the provisions in the bill. These instructions are important to ensure the law is changed to reflect the new or updated policy aim.
On a typical day, I’ll review drafting suggestions from the OPC. I’ll then run them by my clients, assess whether they are meeting their aims or not, discuss any legal issues, and then go back to the OPC with further instructions, if any changes are needed to meet the policy aim.
Sometimes we also directly support ministers. For example, we do something called ‘box duty’, which is where you sit with the clients in an official's box in parliament, to legally clear any government lines that come up in debates on the bill. Working on a bill and then sitting behind a minister as it is debated in parliament is surreal. Box duty is definitely a highlight of the job.
Memorable moments
Going into parliament for the first time was exciting – but I was nervous. I had only qualified a few months before. I'd worked with the clients from an early stage on the bill, so I knew the area and I became calmer as I listened to the debates.
That's an experience that definitely built my confidence and has stayed with me.
Charlotte in Westminster Hall on the way to box duty.
People say there is ‘no bad seat’ in the GLD because everything is really interesting. We have around 2,700 lawyers. If you’re looking at working here, you will get access to work that is not available anywhere else. You don’t need to stick to one area and can move around easily. It’s great if you are curious and like to continually learn new things.
If you’re moving over from private practice, it’s likely there will be work that crosses over with your specialism or interests. For example, if you’re motivated by deadlines and litigation as a lawyer, there are a lot of high-profile cases to get involved in.
A few things I’ve been involved in have been on the news. When senior political figures comment on the work you do in interviews or in parliament, it’s always a bit of a ‘pinch me’ moment.
I had a ‘full circle’ experience when an industry expert – who had been one of my university professors – wrote a positive article about the piece of work I’d worked on. It made me proud and I felt I’d made a real difference to a change in the law.
April 2025 is the 10 year anniversary of the GLD in its current form. Before 2015, it was known as the Treasury Solicitor's Department, until previously separate legal teams were unified into the largest in-house legal team in the country. As part of it, colleagues have been sharing stories – old and new – about how their careers have developed and changed in recent years.
Some of my colleagues have been here for a long time (as long as 20 years). It really is a place where people stay.
I love that at GLD you have time and are encouraged to develop your skills, follow your interests and become an expert. Plus, in an advisory role, you don’t have target hours – which might be another convincing point for anyone considering a move to the GLD!
I think this is the best place to work if you have an interest in government and enjoy work that has a public impact. It is one of the only places as a solicitor where you can play a role in ensuring that the government governs well within the rule of law.
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