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Whats it like working as a CLG lawyer?

What’s it Like Working as a Lawyer for Communities and Local Government?

David Pattison is a lawyer in the Local Government Legal Division

“I start the day by advising Ministers on a legal challenge being made by a local authority to the award of funding for local authority housing. The claim is at an early stage and it is important that Ministers are made aware of the prospects of the authority being successful.

At 11am I attend a meeting with the Local Government Minister together with the relevant policy officials. The meeting has been arranged to discuss certain clauses in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill in advance of a sitting of the relevant Public Bill Committee in the afternoon.

We discuss the specific clauses and a number of amendments that have been tabled. In particular we agree the lines to take in answer to points likely to be raised in committee. We spend much of the meeting discussing one particular issue where the Minister has strong views. I explain the effect of previous case law on the issue and the Minister decides to make slightly different changes.

Following the meeting, my clients amend the lines to take, included in the Minister’s speaking notes, for the committee sitting in the afternoon and send these to me for my comments. I make some suggestions and the notes are then agreed with the Minister.

The committee sits at the House of Commons at 3pm. During the hearing my clauses are debated and some input is needed from me, following questions by several MPs. I provide this to the Minister by passing him a written note. The Minister then uses some of my advice in his answers.

When I get back to the office I check my emails. I see I have received some comments on a set of regulations that I drafted and have been recently been sent out for public consultation. Before going home I provide some initial thoughts on the comments to the policy officials responsible for the regulations.”

Life as a trainee lawyer

Katharine Martin is a trainee lawyer in the Housing Law Division

Before starting my training contract with Communities and Local Government I worked for a firm of solicitors. Working for a government department is an entirely different (and in my opinion far preferable!) experience. I am half-way through the third seat of my training contract, working in the Housing and Land Division.

My first seat was in the Local Government Division. There I gained experience of a broad range of areas, including byelaws, council tax and queries raised by MPs on behalf of their constituents on matters about local government.

My work on parish orders (statutory instruments which operate to change, for example, the area of parishes or their electoral arrangements) gave me good drafting experience and the chance to produce my own pieces of legislation. I also assisted with the Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill, which provided a fascinating insight into the operation of both Houses of Parliament.

Each trainee needs six months’ litigation experience to fulfill the Law Society’s requirements, and this is generally taken in the second or third seat. The Department doesn’t conduct its own litigation so this is undertaken in another department.

I chose the Treasury Solicitor’s Department where I worked in the Prison Service Litigation team. There I was given my own caseload (mostly prisoner and officer personal injury claims with some false imprisonment claims) on day one. I also prepared for and attended inquests, which is an unusual but interesting area of work.

The six months was very ‘hands on’ and gave me valuable experience of advising my clients in the Prison Service and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on the merits of claims against them, instructing counsel and general litigation procedure and tactics.

In my current seat I advise clients on housing issues as well as on the duties of local authorities to provide advice and assistance to homeless people This is stimulating and worthwhile work. I have also advised on large-scale redevelopment projects,and it is particularly exciting to play a part in the regeneration of our towns and cities.

The Department provides a great variety of experience of a wide range of legal areas. As well as the seats I have undertaken, there are also opportunities in Constitutional and European, Employment and Commercial, Planning, Discrimination and Regeneration law.

You are responsible for your own work from the start of your training contract, but support is there whenever you need it. The level of responsibility given to trainees here is greater than given to most private sector trainees I’ve talked to.

As well as the professional skills course, trainees benefit from an extensive programme of training. All trainees attend induction courses that familiarise you with how the Department works and explain the lawyer’s role within it.

This induction training is complemented by regular in-house seminars, lectures and courses on relevant legal topics and external courses where necessary. Many courses are attended by lawyers and trainees from other departments, which gives trainees the chance to share knowledge and experiences of legal work across government.