Government Legal Service (GLS): GLS lawyers work for just one client – the Government of the day – which requires advice and support on a huge range of domestic and European affairs. The diversity of work reflects the wide range of activities within Government. These range across issues of national and international significance and across public and private law, embracing advisory and legislative work, litigation and prosecution and a wealth of specialist areas.

During the course of the two year training contract, you will spend time in four key areas of practice. Each ‘seat’ lasts six months. You will have at least one seat in a litigation team and one in an advisory team. Where a Government department does not have its own in-house litigation team, trainees will spend one seat in the litigation team of another department. Over the course of your training contract you can expect to gain experience of communication and practice support, legal research, writing and drafting, interviewing and advising, negotiation, advocacy and oral presentation. The GLS offers a range of focused training, including programmes on administrative law, civil litigation, criminal law, EC Law, human rights and legislation amongst other topics.