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Joanne Dee

It was the dual attraction of interesting work and the chance to work flexibly which drew Joanne Dee to the Government Legal Service.

“I saw a legal job for the Health and Safety Executive advertised online and decided to apply as it looked so interesting,” she recalls. “I didn’t really think I’d be successful because I’d been a full-time mum for two years, and was beginning to feel I’d lost touch with the world of work.”

Needless to say, Joanne got the HSE job, and was quickly absorbed into the world of Government legal work. “I really enjoy this job, which is mainly related to railway safety – I give a lot of advice on level crossings, which has become a very topical issue,” she says. “I also advise on other health and safety related issues like violence at work and employee status. There’s a lot of human interest, as workplace issues potentially affect us all."

“I was already familiar with health and safety law, as my previous job at a private law firm involved working on personal injury litigation issues. But I feel I have learned more during my two years in Government than in all my previous years in private practice. Most days I work on something of real interest. The work is intellectually challenging and high profile – whenever I pick up a newspaper, I invariably read about an area of legislation relevant to my work.”

Joanne began her current job on a full-time basis, but was soon offered more flexible working arrangements. As a mother of four young children, the youngest less than a year old, she faced constant demands on her time despite the presence of a nanny. Her husband works long hours and she needed to be more readily available.

“Six months into the job, I was given the option of working partly from home, which made a huge difference. I was then able to gradually reduce my hours. I now work three days a week, usually with two days spent in the office and one working from home. It helps that most of my work isn’t time-critical. My colleagues have all been very supportive and I couldn’t work with a nicer set of people."

“As a GLS lawyer, you become part of a community-inspired environment which thrives on teamwork and attracts public-spirited people. It’s easy to underestimate the importance of being happy in your job, but it’s something I readily appreciate. I wouldn’t want to return to private practice."

“I intend to stay where I am at present, although when my children are older I may start looking to move to another Government Department. One of the beauties of being a GLS lawyer is that you have the opportunity to follow a varied career path. By moving around the GLS, you gain a broad range of skills which you can apply to most areas of Government legal work.”