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Nasrin Khan

The chance to pursue varied work makes Nasrin Khan more than happy to remain a GLS lawyer.

“I give legal advice to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on a range of issues not devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly,” she says. “I am also involved in drafting legislation. My work can include almost anything to do with policing, and elections, plus issues arising out of the peace process. Almost all the work we do in my team is politically sensitive or has a national security element."

“It’s quite unusual because, although it appears to be a classic advisory role, it demands a great deal more than purely legal input; you need to understand the underlying reason why particular advice is being sought. Having said that, while you need to appreciate the political context, the focus always remains on the law rather than politics."

“I find the GLS suits my temperament more than private practice. I’m more motivated by interesting work, reasonable hours and pleasant colleagues than the money. The GLS gives you a fantastic network of lawyers around Government which you can tap into at any time. People are very supportive – no-one feels they’re losing out by you getting on. And if I’m working late, chances are I’ll be grappling with something like the constitutional settlement in Northern Ireland or an issue that’s in the news. It’s a very different ethos from being under pressure to make money for a firm.”

After doing her articles in a small private practice in West London, Nasrin worked at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in order to get advocacy experience. “Although I’d qualified as a solicitor, I wanted to do some court work, and I discovered that working at the CPS really suited me. I ended up prosecuting cases ranging from road traffic offences to murder, and I learned a lot very quickly."

“After I’d been at the CPS for five years, I applied for a secondment as a legal adviser to the Criminal Courts Review – an independent review set up by the Government and led by Lord Justice Auld. The review process lasted for two years and many of the recommendations were incorporated into the Criminal Justice Act 2002. Examples include allowing CPS lawyers to become involved in cases before charges are brought, and non-jury trials in fraud cases.”

Working on the Criminal Courts Review gave Nasrin an interest in working in central Government. She had a short posting at the Law Commission, doing academic work, before moving to the Attorney General's Office – a stimulating environment at the core of Government where lawyers deal with some of the most challenging issues of the day.

“That was the most fascinating job I’ve ever had,” recalls Nasrin. “The lawyers were expected to advise beyond purely legal issues. For instance, my job included advising the Attorney General on his role in overseeing change at the CPS, which was being investigated for racism by the Commission for Racial Equality. That required very delicate handling. It was incredibly demanding as we were the Attorney General’s hands, eyes and ears. I had to use every skill at my disposal – judgement, time management, people skills; I had daily contact with Ministers, and would often have to assert my opinion as to why I thought a particular route or approach should be taken."

“Two years ago, I did an MA in human rights and public law, essentially in my own time, while working, which has given me skills and knowledge I use daily in my job. The GLS offers a wide range of work and the flexibility to move into new areas if you’re prepared to learn and develop. It also offers a good social life; I help run the GLS Social Committee, which gets lawyers across the GLS together to do things like chocolate tastings and pampering events!”