Deputy Director, Department for Business and Trade Legal Advisor

Job summary

From healthcare to artificial intelligence, energy to national security, we provide legal advice to government departments on nation-changing subjects.

At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfil our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters.

Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. We are at the heart of delivering the government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas.

GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services. There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law.

This is an exciting time to join GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.

To find out more about what we do you can view our introductory film. On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD.

You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 – 2027.

Job description

The Department for Business and Trade Legal Advisors

Department of Business and Trade Legal Advisers provide legal support to DBT across the range of its work as the UK pursues its independent trade policy and industrial strategy.

We have 8 International Trade law teams, headed by Adrian Roberts as Legal Director. These teams:

• Draft, negotiate, implement and advise on Free Trade Agreements, such as the recently-signed UK-India trade deal, the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal, and the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Transpacific Partnership (CPTPP)
• Handle bilateral and WTO trade law and investment (ISDS) disputes
• Advise on Trade Remedies, Import and Export Controls including sanctions
• Advise on UK trade policy including in the WTO, and economic security
• Run GLD’s Centre of Excellence to support lawyers across government in relation to trade law issues.

We also have 6 Business law focused teams, led by Jane Hill and Gilad Segal as jobshare Legal Directors. These teams provide legal advice, including developing UK policy and producing legislation on;

• UK employment law such as the Employment Rights Act 2025
• Competition and Consumer Law
• The Post Office, Royal Mail and postal services
• Corporate and Insolvency Law
• Product Regulation and UK/EU Services Law.

DBTLA lawyers, working with our colleagues in GLD Litigation, handle judicial reviews and other litigation for DBT. We give General Counsel advice to DBT, working with specialists in GLD’s Employment and Commercial Law Directorates.

Our lawyers check and clear correspondence, public lines, submissions and cabinet committee papers. We support DBT Policy colleagues in meetings with ministers, stakeholders, and other government departments. We also instruct external lawyers for DBT, in particular, using and managing our bespoke Trade Law lot on the Legal Panel for Government panel, and the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel.

We come from many backgrounds, including private sector law firms, the self-employed bar, academia, and lawyers qualified in other jurisdictions. We are supported by a fantastic business management team. We seek to grow our own talent, including trainees and apprentices, as well as upskilling government lawyers in trade law and trade law experts in public law.

The Role

This vacancy is a job-sharing post, co-leading the International Trade Investment Disputes Legal Team.

The International Trade & Investment Disputes team provides advice and legal services across two distinct areas: trade disputes policy and casework and investment disputes casework. We service two separate sets of DBT clients, whilst the casework of the team invariably requires significant cross-government engagement, given disputes frequently relate to areas that are the responsibility of other Government Departments.

Key responsibilities:

• The post holder will be a key member of the Division’s senior leadership team (SLT) and will be expected to take specific corporate responsibility for the collective leadership of the Division, with allocated responsibilities to be agreed with the successful applicant.
• Provide visible and strategic legal leadership in relation to key areas of DBT policy;
• Provide visible and effective leadership of the Division as part of the senior leadership team;
• Ensure that trade and investment disputes involving the UK are handled effectively and efficiently, enhancing the reputation of the UK as well as the reputation of the team across government
• Ensure that, where required, partnering with external legal advisers is effective and efficient and as part of that, delivering effective relationship management with firms on the trade and investment disputes lots of the Legal Panel for Government;
• Ensure that high quality risk based legal advice is provided to DBT ministers and officials which demonstrates the team's expertise, but also its solutions-focussed approach;
• Ensure that dispute chapters of trade agreements are successfully negotiated and concluded.
• Together with your jobshare partner, lead an inclusive, flexible, confident, innovative, efficient and supported team whose skills and capabilities you continuously strive to develop.
• Jointly deliver the annual GLP Trade Law Conference.

Person specification

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you provide evidence and examples of proven experience of these selection criteria. Below are details of the essential criteria from the Civil Service Success Profiles that make up this role. Further guidance can be found at Success Profiles.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

Behaviours

• Leadership
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing
• Developing Self and Others

Key Skills and Experience (all points assessed at application and interview)

• Substantial experience of International Trade and/or Litigation