Pupillage Vacancy Information
About Authorised Education and Training Organisation and Structure of Pupillage
The Government Legal Department (GLD) is the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters that are frequently scrutinised in Parliament and the media. Our work includes:
- Developing and drafting legislation
- Providing legal advice on policies
- Securing our economic and trade relationships
- Ensuring value from commercial contracts worth billions of pounds
- Providing the Civil Service’s employment law advice
GLD is a non-ministerial government department, sponsored by the Attorney General. We are headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary and employ nearly 3000 people, including over 2000 legal professionals.
We provide specialist legal services including Litigation, Employment and Commercial Law as well as advising most Government Departments on the policies and services they deliver.
Our vision is to be an outstanding legal organisation and a brilliant place to work where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential.
GLD is offering four pupil barrister positions based in London to start in September 2026.
The training period will last two-years in total. The pupillage period (first 12 months) is likely to comprise of a six-month (non-practising) training seat in the department and a six-month (practicing) seat in a set of external barristers’ chambers. The Professional Statement describes the knowledge, skills and attributes that you will need to develop and apply during the pupillage period in order to qualify as a barrister. During the remaining12 months of the training period the aim will be to provide you with wider experience of GLD’s legal work.
As part of our current smarter working policies, GLD employees are expected to work at least 60% of their contracted hours each month from a GLD office (unless adjustments are agreed for disability or caring responsibilities).
Whilst you can expect to be involved in the wide and interesting range of work in which the department and chambers are involved and you will be offered the advocacy opportunities necessary to complete your pupillage successfully, we use the services of external counsel for nearly all of our advocacy. This means that court-based advocacy opportunities are extremely limited. Those wishing to focus principally on a court-based advocacy career should bear this in mind.
Whilst this can never be guaranteed, after successful completion of the 2-year training period, we hope to be able to offer a permanent qualified lawyer position (starting at Legal Officer level). This will be subject to meeting the standards applied in our recruitment of qualified lawyers.
Financial and Other Support Available
Sponsorship (i.e. funding) will be available for the Bar Training Course (BTC) where the course has not started.
A bursary (maintenance grant) is also likely to be available for the BTC where the course has not started. This will be around £5,400 (National) or £7,600 (London) for those completing the Bar Training Course. You will need to discuss your eligibility for a bursary with us at the offer stage.
We provide our pupil barristers with a laptop and mobile phone and other working from home equipment as required.
There is funding available to meet the costs of compulsory courses during pupillage and reimbursement for pupils’ travel expenses for court attendance. Other arrangements in place to support employees may include, for example, season ticket loan, rental deposit and salary advance schemes.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
We are looking to recruit high quality legal trainees from a wide range of backgrounds.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme | Civil Service Careers for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
How to Apply
The application process will open on 2 January 2025 on the Government Legal Profession (GLP) website and Civil Service Jobs. Please note that the deadline for completing the application form and the Situational Judgement Test is 30 January 2025 (Midday). For further details, and to apply, please visit the GLP website at www.gov.uk/glp
