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Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Defra, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, brings together all aspects of policy on the environment, rural affairs, farming and food production. Defra’s mission is to enable everyone to live within our means, ensuring that the resources and environment that we need and enjoy are available for us all, now and in the future. It has roles in both EU and global policy-making, so that its work has a strong European and international dimension.

Defra was created in June 2001 from the then Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) and from the environmental and countryside business areas of the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR)

Work of the Legal Team

Defra has one of the largest legal teams in Government and undertakes work across a wide range of policy areas and legal specialisms. Based just off Whitehall in central London, our lawyers work on issues ranging from pollution control to animal welfare and forestry and nature conservation.
The work is always varied and often exciting and controversial. Much of it is at the forefront of important, high profile government initiatives. We have a team handling animal disease emergencies, including foot and mouth, bluetongue and avian influenza. There are great opportunities to work closely with other professionals including scientists and vets as well as policy makers. We advise a number of delivery agencies and work closely with others such as the Food Standards Agency. This provides ample opportunity to gain experience in issues affecting operational delivery as well as policy and to work with colleagues across Whitehall.

Legal Advice
Defra lawyers work closely with Ministers and policy officials in the Department and across Whitehall. A team-based approach is used where lawyers, administrators and other specialists collaborate on the development and implementation of policy. The legal issues arising from policy options include the application of EC legislation, administrative law, human rights, devolution, freedom of information and other important constitutional changes. Where necessary, we accompany policy colleagues to Brussels and elsewhere to take part in negotiating European and international agreements. We also have a specialist unit dealing with commercial and employment issues in London. The Reading team also advises the Rural Payments Agency on these issues.

Litigation And Prosecutions
Our litigators have a very varied practice, ranging from personal injury and employment matters to high-profile judicial reviews and proceedings in the European Court. Our prosecution team advises on, prepares and conducts prosecutions on behalf of the Department.

Drafting
We instruct Parliamentary Counsel on the drafting of Bills and with policy colleagues attend Parliamentary debates. We are currently working on the Climate Change and Marine bills. We ourselves draft a huge range of secondary legislation to implement Government policy.

Benefits & Rewards

Defra Legal Services is fully committed to Continuous Professional Development and runs an extensive in-house training programme. A Legal Library supports the legal team and everyone has access to a full range of electronic research facilities. Flexible working is encouraged and Defra staff benefit from favourable terms and conditions. In addition to the usual schemes offering most civil servants salary advances, for example to purchase travel season tickets, Defra offers the opportunity to arrange a salary advance to purchase a bicycle.

Legal Trainee & Pupillage Opportunities

Trainee Solicitors and Pupil Barristers are recruited through the GLS Legal Trainee Scheme. In the 2008 competition, we recruited 1 pupil barrister to commence in 2010.

Trainee Solicitors can expect four different six-month placements with different Defra Legal teams while during their pupillage our Pupil Barristers typically spend 3-4 months with different Defra Legal Teams and a 3-4 month seat with Chambers, arranged on their behalf by the Department.

Qualified Lawyer Vacancies

Vacancies for posts in this Department are advertised through the central GLS scheme. All vacancies are posted on the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway (this link will open in a new window).

Location

Most lawyers are based in central London. However, one of the legal teams is based at the Rural Payments Agency in Reading.

Further Information

For further information visit http://www.defra.gov.uk.