Introduction

The work of government lawyers and trainees is challenging, unique and often headline news.

The legal solutions we provide pervade almost every aspect of today’s society. It’s a terrific responsibility.

The legal trainee scheme (LTS) is the term that we use to describe the training available within a number of government departments.

The departments thatoffering typicallyTrainee offerSolicitor trainee positions through the 2025 LTS are:

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

We are looking to recruit high quality legal trainees to play an active role in legal work that really makes a difference.

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 Amy (GLD), Ben (GLD), Chantal (CMA), Ella (NCA), Helen (GLD Commercial), Jake (HMRC), Jack (GLD), James (GLD Commercial), Kyle (GLD Commercial), Milan (CMA), Rachel (GLD DfT) and Will (HMRC) discuss their experiences as legal trainees.

ChangeAnnual forGLP the Legal Trainee Recruitment CampaignCampaigns

Pupil Barrister and Trainee Solicitor positions are now being recruited through separate annual GLP legal trainee scheme recruitment campaigns. 

The next Pupil Barrister positionsrecruitment campaign will be advertised on the Pupillage Gateway in November.November The application window will open on 2nd January 2025.

The next Trainee Solicitor recruitment campaign will launch in Spring 2025.

Apply

The application process for the 2025 PupilTrainee BarristerSolicitor recruitment campaign is open.

Please click on the ‘Apply’ button below.

Apply

The deadline for the completed application form and situational judgement test (SJT) is Midday on ThursdayMonday 3019 JanuaryMay 2025.

Please see below for further information on the PupilTrainee BarristerSolicitor positions that are available and funding.

Please visit the ‘How to Apply’ page for further information on the timetable, eligibility criteria and application process.

Note that the next Pupil Barrister recruitment campaign will launch in 2026.

Places available and Location (Trainee Solicitor)

There are 7over Pupil50 BarristerTrainee Solicitor positions being offered through the 2025 pupilLTS. barrister recruitment campaign. The positions are in GLD, andGLD Commercial, HMRC, NCA and CMA.

The PupilTrainee BarristersSolicitor positions will start in September 2026.2026 and September 2027. The training contract/qualifying work experience (QWE) on offer is for a full 2 years (and we do not take into account previous training or QWE completed elsewhere).

Most of the positionsplaces are based in London. However, However, GLD is is offering aTrainee PupilSolicitor Barristerpositions positionin Leeds, Manchester and Bristol. HMRC is offering positions based in Leeds.Bristol and Manchester. Applicants can express location preferences on the application form.

For those interested in a career in Commercial Law, GLD offers the opportunity to complete your training within GLD Commercial – i.e. Commercial Law Group (CLG) or the Department for Transport (DfT) Legal Advisers – working across different commercial law teams.

Please see tabletables below for details of the PupilTrainee BarristerSolicitor positions available.

2027 places available

Department	Year Start	Role	Location/Number of Places
Government Legal Department (GLD) - Generalist Scheme	20262027	PupilTrainee BarristerSolicitor	London (4),(25), Manchester (1), Leeds (3), Bristol (1)
HM GLD RevenueCommercial &- Customs (HMRCCLG)	20262027	PupilTrainee BarristerSolicitor	London (3), Leeds (2), Bristol (2)

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What happens at the end of the 2 year training programme

Whilst this can never be guaranteed, after successful completion of the 2-year training programme, the recruiting departments hope to be able to offer a qualified lawyer position (this may be subject to a probation period in some departments).

The arrangements in place for newly qualified lawyers differ between departments and may be subject change. Please see details below.

GLD – Post Qualification

GLD hopes to be able to offer a permanent qualified lawyer role, starting at Legal Officer level, at the end of the two-year training period.

GLD will continue to support newly qualified lawyers with a range of development programmes.

Typically you will be posted according to business priorities and vacancies at the time of being offered a permanent qualified lawyer role in GLD.

You will be automatically regraded to a Grade 7 lawyer once you have gained 1 year of post-qualified experience (PQE).

GLD - 2+2 Scheme

The 2+2 Scheme (a voluntary scheme) was introduced to ensure that newly qualified GLD lawyers, i.e. lawyers with less than 1 year of PQE, gain a broader idea of what it means to be a government lawyer, providing diverse experience at an early stage of an individual’s legal career at GLD.

It’s important that Government lawyers see a range of work early on to ensure that their experience is as rounded as can be. This is good for lawyers’ development which helps their performance and progression, it’s good for GLD’s resilience and it’s good for clients because they get the very best service as a result. 

Those who participate in the Scheme will be allocated to two 2-year postings over their first four years of working (as a qualified lawyer) in GLD. During which time they will undertake 2 years in a contentious post and 2 years in a non-contentious post (in either order).

Allocations will be made based on roles that are available at the time. Participants will be offered the opportunity to express a preference as to where they move. However, GLD is not able to guarantee that all preferences will be able to be met during this process.

Those who choose to opt-out of the 2+2 Scheme will also have an opportunity to give a preference for the business areas they are interested in. Again, GLD is not able to guarantee that all preferences will be able to be met during this process.

Note: Legal trainees recruited into the Commercial law trainee scheme will follow a specialist pathway and complete both 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.

HMRC - Post Qualification

In HMRC Solicitor’s Legal OfficeGroup you will typically be placed in a litigation or advisory team. The role you will be offered will depend on business needs at the time of your qualification. 

After one year post qualification as a Legal Officer there will be the opportunity for progression to Grade 7.

You are expected to move on a regular basis in the early part of your career. If you qualified into a litigation team, the likelihood is that the next team will be advisory (and vice versa). 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.

NCA - Post Qualification

In the NCA you will typically join one of the department’s legal teams i.e. Civil Litigation, Data and Operational Advisory, Disruptions Actions Litigation (i.e. immigration disruption, civil orders and sanctions), Employment and Commercial and Financial Disruptions Litigation.

Typically, you will be posted according to business priorities and vacancies, but there will be an opportunity to express a preference for the legal team you wish to qualify into. Should you accept a qualified lawyer position, the NCA expects you to remain within NCA Legal for a minimum of two years post qualification.

After one year post qualification as an NCA Grade 3 (Newly Qualified) you will, subject to satisfactory performance, progress to NCA Grade 2 (Lawyer). There are frequent opportunities to move between teams. Alternatively, you will typically have the opportunity to specialise in a particular field.

As a leading law enforcement agency, NCA Legal encompasses a wide variety of work and no two careers are the same. Whatever route you choose, there are opportunities for training and development to enable lawyers to influence their future careers.

As a lawyer with the NCA you will play a key part in enabling the Agency to succeed in its mission in protecting the public from serious and organised crime.

CMA - Post Qualification

Should you be offered a newly qualified lawyer position at the CMA - which is not guaranteed but subject only to meeting our newly qualified lawyer (NQ) criteria - you will be asked whether you prefer to join either an advisory team or litigation team.

You will also be eligible to apply for a Grade 7 post whenever you feel you are able to meet the criteria.

CMA works to promote competition for the benefit of consumers across all sectors of the UK economy. Through various tools and matrix working model, as a NQ, you will have the opportunity to work across a range of teams - from mergers and markets, regulatory appeals, to cartels and consumer law.

As a world-leading competition authority, the work at the CMA is varied, high-profile and underpinned by the highest professional standards.

CMA has offices across the UK - in Belfast, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, and Manchester. Through their commitment to flexible working, the CMA supports its staff to do their best work, wherever they are.

CMA is committed to maximising their employees’ potential by supporting them to develop the knowledge, professional and technical skills and experience required to advance their careers.

CMA offers a range of professional and skills training through the CMA Academy, as well as access to Civil Service wide learning and development opportunities.

Funding - Pupil Barristers

Departments will offer to pay your Bar Training Course fees where you have not yet started the course.

There is no preference which Bar School you attend.

Departments will not reimburse your fees if you have successfully completed or are part way through the Bar Training Course.

You may be eligible for a bursary/ maintenance grant. 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/maintenance grant with the department at the offer stage.

Unfortunately, departments are unable to provide funding for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL)/ CPE (law conversion course).

Funding - Trainee Solicitors

Please note the information below may be subject to change.

Funding arrangements for the LPC and SQE differ accordingby to departments.department.

Departments have anspecific arrangementarrangements in place with a specific provider for(usually deliveryBPP ofUniversity) theirfor SQE preparation (prep) course programme.courses.

Applicants who have not yet started the SQE are required to complete the SQE1 and SQE2 prep courses under the relevant department’s SQE arrangements.

Applicants who have passed SQE1 (or are on the way to doing so) and who have not yet started or signed up to an SQE2 prep course, are required to complete an SQE2 prep course under the relevant department’s SQE arrangements.

Completion of SQE1 and SQE2 takes around 12 months (full-time) i.e. prep courses, assessments and results.

Departments

• Bursary: areYou unablemay tobe provideeligible fundingfor a maintenance/grant. This will be around £5,400 (Regional/Online) or around £7,600 (London) for those completing the LPC (HMRC and NCA only) and for those completing the SQE1 and SQE2 prep courses under departmental provision. Note: for those completing an SQE2 prep course only under departmental provision, the maintenance grant will be pro-rated and will need to be discussed with the relevant department at the offer stage.

Note: Departments do not fund the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL)/ )/CPE (law conversion course)..

Below provides details of funding previously offered by recruiting departments.

Government Legal Department (GLD)

• LPC:  (2026 & 2027 start): GLD has will previouslyaccept accepted applications from those following the LPC route but haswill not providedprovide funding for the LPC

• SQE: (2027 start): Provision of SQE preparation courses, payment of course fees and SQE assessment fees and a (cost of living) bursary. SQE1 and SQE2 prep courses havewill previouslybe been delivered in partnership with BPP University, at various national locations or online. The bursary will depend on factors such as which SQE prep course you are enrolled on to by GLD

• SQE (2026 start): Provision of SQE2 prep course, payment of course fees and SQE2 assessment fee and a pro-rated (cost of living) bursary.

Competition & Markets Authority (CMA)

• LPC: (2027 start): CMA has will previouslyaccept accepted applications from those following the LPC route but haswill not providedprovide funding for the LPC

• SQE: (2027 start): Provision of SQE preparation courses, payment of course fees and SQE assessment fees and a (cost of living) bursary. SQE1 and SQE2 prep courses havewill previouslybe been delivered in partnership with BPP University, at various national locations or online. The bursary will depend on factors such as which SQE prep course you are enrolled on to by CMA

National Crime Agency (NCA)

• LPC: NCA(2027 hasstart): previouslyWhere offeredthe funding to cover LPC feeshas where the LPC has not been started at the time the offer is made, or where the course has only just started.started (i.e. started in September 2025), funding is available to cover LPC course fees. A (cost of living) bursary hasis also been available

• SQE: (2027 start): Provision of SQE preparation courses, payment of course fees and SQE assessment fees and a (cost of living) bursary. SQE1 and SQE2 prep courses havewill previouslybe been delivered in partnership with BPP University, at various national locations or online. The bursary will depend on factors such as which SQE prep course you are enrolled on to by NCA

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)

• LPC:  HMRC(2026 has& previously2027 offeredstart): fundingWhere to cover LPC fees where the LPC has not been started at the time the offer is made, or where the course has only just started.started (i.e. started in September 2025), funding is available to cover LPC course fees. A (cost of living) bursary hasis also been available

• SQE: (2027 start): Provision of SQE preparation courses, payment of course fees and SQE assessment fees and a (cost of living) bursary. SQE1 and SQE2 prep courses havewill previouslybe been delivered in partnership with BPP University, at various national locations or online. The bursary will depend on factors such as which SQE prep course you are enrolled on to by HMRC

• SQE (2026 start): Provision of SQE2 prep course, payment of course fees and SQE2 assessment fee and a pro-rated (cost of living) bursary.

Funding - Pupil Barristers

Departments will offer to pay your Bar Training Course fees where you have not yet started the course.

There is no preference which Bar School you attend.

Departments will not reimburse your fees if you have successfully completed or are part way through the Bar Training Course.

Unfortunately, departments are unable to provide funding for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL)/ CPE (law conversion course).

Salaries

Salaries differ according to department and location and are subject to review and change.

Below provides details of current legal trainee salaries in each of the recruiting departments.

Government Legal Department (GLD)

For legal trainees (at all locations), the current salary details are below.

• Current 1st year legal trainee salary: £33,281

• Current 2nd year legal trainee salary: £38,029

Competition & Markets Authority (CMA)

• Current 1st year legal trainee salary (London(London): and Manchester): £33,281

• Current 2nd year legal trainee salary (London(London): and Manchester): £38,029

National Crime Agency (NCA)

• Current 1st year legal trainee salary (London): £34,537

• Current 2nd year legal trainee salary (London): £43,415

Note: NCA also pays London weighting which amounts to around an additional £4,040.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)

• Current 1st year legal trainee salary (London): £41,289
• Current 1st year legal trainee salary (National): ): £36,320
• Current 2nd year legal trainee salary (London): £41,823
• Current 2nd year legal trainee salary (National): £36,790       

Note: the above figures will increase in line with annual pay awards within HMRC.

TrainingPupillage Contract / Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) structure (note

The thatnext thepupil Traineebarrister Solicitor recruitment campaign will launch in Spring 2025)2026.

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

AsThe parttraining ofperiod youroffered by departments will last 2 years (and will not take into account previous training youcompleted elsewhere).

During the pupillage period (the first 12 months) your time will be givensplit between your department and a broadset rangeof external barristers’ Chambers. The remainder of experiencethe training period will be completed within your department.

The Professional Statement describes the knowledge, skills and attributes that you will need to develop and apply during the pupillage period (i.e. the first 12 months of the 2-year training programme) in governmentorder legalto work.qualify as a barrister.

If you havemeet the required standard at the end of the 12-month pupillage period, you will apply for your full practising certificate and become a particularqualified interestbarrister. inYou commercialwill, law,however, remain a legal trainee for a further 12 months, during which time you will experience a wider breadth of the department’s legal work.

Barristers working within government departments may wishbe given the opportunity to considerconduct applyingcases forin tribunals or courts. However the traineeextent positionsof availablethat withinopportunity GLDwill Commercial.vary between departments and teams.

DepartmentsGovernment onlydepartments offertend fullto 2-yearuse trainingthe contractsservices orof QWEexternal counsel for much of their court work. This means that legal trainees get the opportunity to work with and dolearn notfrom takeexperienced intopanel accountcounsel previouswho trainingare orleading QWEexperts completedin elsewhere.their respective fields.

Court-based advocacy opportunities are extremely limited. Candidates wishing to focus principally on a court-based advocacy career should bear this in mind.

Retention

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

Temporary Administrative Roles

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

After the LTS recruitment campaign has finished, it may be possible to offer successful candidates and/or those on the reserve list a short-term administrative role within a department but this cannot be guaranteed.

Diversity Summer Scheme

The Diversity Summer Scheme normally takes place over one week.week. 

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

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

• Aspiring SolicitorsSolicitors  
• Black Lawyers Circle  
• Law Society Diversity Access SchemeScheme  
• Social Mobility FoundationFoundation 
• BridgingThe theSutton BarTrust Foundation 
• BlackSociety Lawyersof CircleAsian Lawyers 

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. To do so, please visit their website or social media platform.  

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

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

However, it is important to understand that the Diversity Summer Scheme is not used to assess suitability for the Legal Trainee Scheme.

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.