Legal trainee scheme
Information on the Trainee Solicitor and Pupil Barrister opportunities available within government departments
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 that typically offer trainee positions through the 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) and Rachel (GLD DfT) discuss their experiences as legal trainees.
Change for the Legal Trainee Recruitment Campaign
Pupil Barrister and Trainee Solicitor positions have previously been recruited through a single annual GLP legal trainee scheme recruitment campaign.
The Pupil Barrister recruitment campaign will align with the Bar Council’s timings of advertising Pupil Barrister positions on the Pupillage Gateway in November. The application window will open in January 2025.
The next Trainee Solicitor recruitment campaign will launch in Spring 2025.
Mailing List - Pupil Barrister Recruitment Campaign
The GLP legal trainee scheme (Pupil Barrister) recruitment campaign will open for applications in January 2025.
To be notified as soon as the campaign is open, you can add your contact details to the mailing list.
Pupillage structure (note that the Pupil Barrister recruitment campaign will launch in January 2025)
If your application is successful you will be allocated to one of the recruiting departments i.e. 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.
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.
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 order to qualify as a barrister.
If you meet the required standard at the end of the 12-month pupillage period, you will apply for your full practising certificate and become a qualified barrister. You will, 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 be given the opportunity to conduct cases in tribunals or courts. However the extent of that opportunity will vary between departments and teams.
Government departments tend to 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.
Court-based advocacy opportunities are very limited. Candidates wishing to focus principally on a court-based advocacy career should bear this in mind.
The Pupil Barrister recruitment campaign will launch in January 2025.
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 Office 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 started your post qualification in 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 will be subject to change.
Funding arrangements for the LPC and SQE differ according to departments.
Departments have an arrangement in place with a specific provider for delivery of their SQE preparation (prep) course programme.
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.
The process for booking successful candidates on to an SQE prep course under departmental provision is likely to take around 3 months prior to the course start date.
- Bursary: You may be eligible for 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.
Departments are unable to provide funding for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/Post Graduate Diploma in Law (PGDL)/ CPE (law conversion course).
Below provides details of funding available in each recruiting department.
Government Legal Department (GLD)
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LPC: GLD accepts applications from those following the LPC route but there is no funding available for the LPC
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SQE (2026 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 will be 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.
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SQE (2025 start): Provision of SQE2 preparation course, payment of course fees and SQE2 assessment fee and a pro-rated (cost of living) bursary.
Competition & Markets Authority (CMA)
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LPC: CMA accepts applications from those following the LPC route but there is no funding available for the LPC
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SQE (2026 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 will be 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
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SQE (2025 start): Provision of SQE2 preparation course, payment of course fees and SQE2 assessment fee and a pro-rated (cost of living) bursary.
National Crime Agency (NCA)
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LPC: Where the LPC has not been started at the time the offer is made, or where the course has only just started (i.e. started in September 2024), funding is available to cover LPC course fees. A (cost of living) bursary is also available
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SQE (2026 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 will be 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)
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LPC: Where the LPC has not been started at the time the offer is made, or where the course has only just started (i.e. started in September 2024), funding is available to cover LPC course fees. A (cost of living) bursary is also available
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SQE (2026 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 will be 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
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SQE (2025 start): Provision of SQE2 preparation course, payment of course fees and SQE2 assessment fee and a pro-rated (cost of living) bursary.
Salaries
Salaries differ according to department and location and are subject to review and change.
Below provides details of legal trainee salaries currently available in each of the recruiting departments.
Government Legal Department (GLD)
For legal trainees (at all locations), the current salary details are below.
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Current 1st year legal trainee salary: £31,696
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Current 2nd year legal trainee salary: £36,218
Competition & Markets Authority (CMA)
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Current 1st year legal trainee salary (London and Manchester): £31,696
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Current 2nd year legal trainee salary (London and Manchester): £36,218
National Crime Agency (NCA)
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Current 1st year legal trainee salary (London): £32,892
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Current 2nd year legal trainee salary (London): £41,347
Note: NCA also pays London weighting which amounts to around an additional £3,847.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
- Current 1st year legal trainee salary (London): £39,893
- Current 1st year legal trainee salary (National): £35,092
- Current 2nd year legal trainee salary (London): £40,903
- Current 2nd year legal trainee salary (National): £35,980
Note: the above figures will increase in line with annual pay awards within HMRC.
Training Contract / Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) structure (note that the Trainee Solicitor recruitment campaign will launch in Spring 2025)
If your application is successful you will be allocated to one of the recruiting departments i.e. GLD, GLD 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.
As part of your training you will be given a broad range of experience in government legal work.
If you have a particular interest in commercial law, you may wish to consider applying for the trainee positions available within GLD Commercial.
Departments only offer full 2-year training contracts or QWE and do not take into account previous training or QWE completed elsewhere.
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.
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.
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.
Updates to this page
Last updated 24 April 2024 + show all updates
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Launch of the 2024 Trainee Solicitor recruitment campaign
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Launch of the 2023 GLP legal trainee scheme recruitment campaign
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Updated application link
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Launch of the 2022 GLP legal trainee scheme campaign
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Lunch of the 2021 Legal Trainee Scheme
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Launch of the 2020 Legal Trainee Scheme
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Launch of the 2019 legal trainee scheme
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Trainee Solicitor and Pupil Barrister opportunities available in the 2018 legal trainee scheme
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GLS Legal Trainee Scheme is open for those interested in a training contract or pupillage in government departments such as GLD, HMRC and NCA.
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Updated to replace references to BIS with new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
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GLS Legal Trainee Scheme is open.
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Announcement of the 2016 GLS Legal Trainee Scheme.
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Updated to reflect changes to vacation placement provision.
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Updated to reflect launch of application process
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Updated ahead of 2015 43cruitment campaign
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Updated to include detail about the 2015 legal trainee scheme recruitment campaign.
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Updated information regarding the GLD vacation placement scheme
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GLS graduate brochure added to page
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First published.