Much more than law
The Government Legal Profession (GLP) Legal Trainee Scheme offers you the chance to start your legal career with a legal trainee position (training contract/qualifying work experience) in either the Government Legal Department (GLD), including GLD’s Commercial Group and Department for Transport Legal Advisers, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the National Crime Agency (NCA) or the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Whether the government is buying goods and services, investigating mergers that could restrict competition, setting the annual budget and collecting the right amount of tax, employing people, fighting organised crime, or defending its decisions in court, it needs significant levels of legal advice on a whole range of complex issues.
The training positions we are offering are largely for a September 2027 start. However, a small number of positions are likely to be available for a September 2026 start. Whilst many of the trainee positions are based in London, HMRC is also offering opportunities in Bristol and Manchester and GLD is also offering opportunities in Bristol, Leeds and Manchester.
The training period will be for 2 years in duration. No account will be taken of training/qualified work experience completed elsewhere.
Whichever department you join, you can expect to be fully involved in a range of interesting legal work and receive high quality training in a supportive and inclusive working environment. You will have the opportunity to build a rewarding career, working on some of the biggest legal issues of the day. Our work touches almost every aspect of public life!
The work is cutting edge, public-serving, and often headline news. Your horizons will be wider too; you’re looking at a future that could take you anywhere, from employment to healthcare, enforcement, and insolvency to national security. If that wasn’t enough, you may have the opportunity to make the law, not just interpret it.
You’ll typically spend six months in 4 different areas of practice (‘seats’) over a 2-year period. The exact nature of the work and on-the-job training depends upon the GLP department in which you are placed.
What do you need?
As you’d expect, there are some must haves. Full details can be found on our website, the minimum you’ll need being that you must meet the Civil Service Nationality requirements and have obtained, or be predicted to obtain, a minimum of a 2:2 honours in a qualifying law degree or undergraduate degree in a non-law subject; or hold equivalent qualifications (e.g. CILEx) as recognised by the professional bodies.
You’ll need to have successfully completed the Graduate Diploma in Law/CPE (law conversion which covers the foundation topics in law) where a degree is held in a non-law subject; the Legal Practice Course (LPC) if you are following the LPC/training contract route; or SQE1 and SQE2 if you are following the SQE route to qualification as a solicitor before the start of your training contract/qualifying work experience with us. Please note that should you be successful; you will be expected to undergo Security Check (SC) clearance. Some departments may require additional checks.
We recommend that you take some time navigating our careers site; we want you to be as prepared as possible for your application journey. You’ll also find more information regarding our eligibility criteria, selection process, sponsorship arrangements and where your career path can take you.
And a reminder the opening date for applications is Noon on 28th April 2025 and the closing date for applications is Noon on Monday 19th May 2025.
