2022 legal trainee scheme

Introduction

The legal trainee scheme (LTS) is the term used to describe the training contract and pupillage opportunities available within government departments.

The departments offering legal trainee places through the 2022 LTS are:

• Government Legal Department (GLD)
• Government Legal Department (GLD) Commercial
• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
• National Crime Agency (NCA)
• Competition & Markets Authority (CMA).

Please note that the training contracts on offer through the 2022 GLP LTS recruitment campaign are for those following the LPC route (i.e. GDL if applicable, LPC, training contract) to qualification as a solicitor. We are not currently offering the SQE route.

This short film showcases the breadth of work government lawyers and legal trainees are involved in.

In these video Saira (GLD) and Charles (HMRC) provide an insight into their experiences as legal trainees/post qualification.

In these articles Ben (GLD), Chantal (CMA), Helen (GLD Commercial), Jake (HMRC), Jack (GLD), Kyle (GLD Commercial), Milan (CMA) and Rachel (GLD DfT) discuss their experiences as legal trainees.

Places available and location

There are around 60 Trainee Solicitor and Pupil Barrister places being advertised through the 2022 LTS in GLD, GLD Commercial, HMRC, NCA and CMA.

The trainee places available are for those ready to start their training in September 2023 and September 2024.

The majority of places available are based in London. However, two Trainee Solicitor places being offered in GLD are based in Leeds. With HMRC there is a possibility that trainees could undertake up to two seats in Manchester during their second year.

GLD is also offering trainees the opportunity to complete their training within GLD Commercial, working across different commercial law teams.

Apply

The application process for the 2022 legal trainee scheme is open.

Apply

The deadline for the completed application form and situational judgement test (SJT) is Midday on Tuesday 10 May 2022.

We would recommend familiarising yourself with the timetable, eligibility criteria and the application process.

Training contract structure

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

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

Generally speaking, you will spend time in 4 main areas of practice (known as ‘seats’). Each seat lasts 6 months.

As a legal trainee, you can expect to have two advisory seats and two litigation seats.

If you have a particular interest in commercial law, you may wish to consider applying for the training contracts available within GLD Commercial.

Departments only offer full 2-year training contracts and do not take into account previous training completed elsewhere.

The table below gives examples of the training contract and post-qualification arrangements of GLD, GLD Commercial, HMRC, NCA and CMA. Please note that this is subject to change and review.

Training Contract and Post-Qualification Arrangements

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Pupillage structure

If your application is successful you will be allocated to one of the recruiting departments (ie GLD and 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 will attend court, initially with your supervisor, carry out research for other lawyers and draft opinions.

Government departments use the services of external counsel for much of their court work. This means that legal trainees get the opportunity to work with and learn from experienced panel counsel who are leading experts in their respective fields.

Barristers working within government departments are given the opportunity to conduct cases in tribunals or courts. However the extent of that opportunity can vary between departments and teams. Candidates wishing to focus principally on an advocacy career should bear this in mind.

The table below gives examples of the training and post-qualification arrangements of GLD and HMRC can be found in the table below. Please note that this is subject to change and review.

Pupillage and Post-Qualification Arrangements

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This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

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What happens after your training

After successful completion of your training period, whilst this can never be guaranteed, departments hope to be able to offer a qualified lawyer position (subject to probation).

The arrangements in place for newly qualified lawyers differ between departments. For example, once you have completed your training in GLD and qualify as a lawyer, GLD hopes to be able to offer you a permanent qualified lawyer role, starting at Legal Officer level, as part of its 2+2 scheme.

GLD - 2+2 Scheme

The 2+2 Scheme was introduced to ensure that GLD lawyers gain a breadth and depth of experience by exposure to contentious and non-contentious work; over and above the four, six-month, rotating training seats.

Directors recognise the high calibre of legal competence achieved and experienced lawyers see the value of exposure to a broad range of government legal work early in their careers.

This rounded experience also helps to increase resilience in GLD’s ability to respond to fluctuating demands. Developing a range of skills prepares lawyers to transition into new roles and improves prospects for promotion.

Newly qualified lawyers are allocated to two, 2-year postings over their first four years of working at GLD:

• 2 years in a contentious post; and
• 2 years in a non-contentious post

Note: Legal trainees recruited into the Commercial legal trainee scheme will follow a specialist pathway and complete both their 2+2 postings within a commercial law environment. The intention is, similarly, to ensure that Commercial lawyers gain relevant experience in non-contentious advisory roles and commercial litigation/contentious work.

Typically, candidates will be posted according to business priorities and vacancies at the time of their being offered a permanent qualified lawyer role, at Legal Officer level, in GLD. There will be an opportunity to express a preference on postings. However, GLD is not able to guarantee that all preferences will be able to be met during this process.

Please note participation in the 2+2 scheme is mandatory – providing the opportunity to continue to develop your career in GLD over the next four years post-qualification.

HMRC - Post Qualification

In HMRC Solicitor’s Office, after successfully completing your training period, you will typically be placed in a litigation or advisory team.

After one year post qualification as a Legal Officer there will be the opportunity for progression to Grade 7. If you started your post qualification in a litigation team the likelihood is that the next team will be advisory (and vice versa).

Unlike GLD, HMRC does not have a 2+2 Scheme but you are expected to move on a regular basis in the early part of your career. The variety of work at HMRC means no two careers will be alike, allowing you to either become specialists in a particular area or spend time in a variety of different areas. There are opportunities for training and development to enable lawyers to influence how they wish their career to progress in the future.

Course fees

Departments will offer to pay your Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar training course fees where you have not yet (or have just) started the course.

There is no preference which law or bar school you attend, or which electives you undertake.

Departments will not reimburse your fees if you have successfully completed or are partway through the LPC or Bar training course.

You may be eligible for a grant of about £5,400 (National) to £7,600 (London). This is for the vocational year if you intend to study for your LPC or Bar training course on a full-time and, possibly, part-time basis. You will need to discuss your eligibility for a grant with the department at the offer stage.

Unfortunately, departments will be unable to provide funding for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL).

Salary

Salaries will vary according to department and location. As an indication, the salary range is between £29,000 to £37,000 for first year trainees and £33,000 to £40,000 for second year trainees. Please note that salaries and terms and conditions are subject to review.

Retention

Departments aim to offer all those recruited as legal trainees a permanent qualified lawyer post on successful completion of the training period. However, this can never be guaranteed.

Paralegal roles

Departments such as GLD, HMRC, NCA and CMA advertise their Paralegal opportunities on the Civil Service Jobs website.

After the LTS recruitment campaign has finished, it may be possible to offer successful candidates and those on the reserve list a short-term Paralegal or Executive Officer role within the Government Legal Department.

Diversity Summer Scheme

The Diversity Summer Scheme is a 1 week summer vacation placement (normally takes place during the first week of July). It has been delivered online over recent years and, this year, is expected to run in early May 2022.

The scheme is for undergraduates or graduates from diverse backgrounds which are currently under-represented across the legal profession.

The Diversity Summer Scheme has previously worked in partnership with the following organisations:

• Aspiring Solicitors
• Law Society Diversity Access Scheme
• Social Mobility Foundation
• Bridging the Bar
• Black Lawyers Circle

If this scheme is something you might be interested in, you will need to consider joining one of these organisations as places are allocated through them.

Each organisation will also have their own application process (which we are not involved in).

Participants will get an insight into the work of government lawyers through talks and workshops. Also, there will be a few tours arranged, for example, of the Supreme Court and Parliament.

Outside of the Diversity Summer Scheme, there are no other vacation placement schemes or work experience opportunities available.

It’s important to understand that the Diversity Summer Scheme is not used to assess suitability for a training contract or pupillage.

The application processes for the Diversity Summer Scheme and Legal Trainee Scheme are separate. If you obtain a summer placement and wish to apply for the LTS, you will need to apply through our legal trainee scheme application process.