Cabinet Office

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

London

About the job

Job summary

The Office of the Parliamentary Counsel is a team within the civil service of 50 lawyers and 8 support staff. We draft Government Bills for introduction into Parliament and handle related Parliamentary business.

Our task is to deliver the legislative priorities of the Government as a whole. Accordingly, we are part of the Cabinet Office, at the very centre of Government. Our drafting projects are often complex, novel, politically sensitive and fast-moving. The work is stretching and at times demanding, but it offers a unique insight into the process of turning policy into law. We are committed to producing clear and effective legislation to the highest possible standards. We lead the legislative drafting profession within Government and work to promote high standards of drafting and awareness of the principles underpinning good law.

Job description

Parliamentary Counsel (Director) (2 roles).

A PC(D) is responsible for drafting and handling bills of all kinds. They report to a team leader, and play a visible and effective leadership role on drafting projects, in their team and in the wider office. They are an expert drafter who plays an important leadership role in the achievement of OPC’s objectives. These are: 

• To ensure the highest standard, in terms of both quality and timeliness, in the drafting and procedural handling of the Government’s legislative programme; 
• To provide the best possible service to OPC’s customers in connection with the other matters on which the OPC’s advice and assistance are sought (in particular, the vetting and drafting of subordinate legislation); and
• To keep improving the quality of the bills OPC produces and the other services it provides, and to ensure OPC continues to have the necessary capacity and capability to provide high quality legislation and services. 

For more information about the roles, please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack. 

Person specification

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you provide evidence of the following Essential Criteria:

• First rate legislative drafting skills, including making use of a range of drafting approaches and being prepared to innovate where appropriate, producing drafts at pace that are not only effective but that are expressed in a clear and intelligible way;
• An excellent general legal knowledge (including a good knowledge of administrative and public law), and a good understanding of Parliamentary procedure;
• An ability to acquire specialist knowledge (including in the most complex areas), and to provide succinct, clear, risk-based advice, including when working under significant pressure; 
• An ability to lead, engage and contribute to the development of colleagues within the organisation;
• An ability to work collaboratively to promote high standards of drafting and improved ways of working;
• Excellent judgement on both technical points and wider handling matters;
• The credibility to inspire confidence in Ministers and senior stakeholders;
• The ability to contribute to the leadership of the organisation and its ability to continue to deliver its strategic objectives.

Qualifications

Applicants must be qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales however, we also accept applications from overseas qualified candidates. You must have completed a training contract/pupillage/qualifying employment or have been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx.

Professional entry criteria for Chartered Legal Executives (i.e. Fellows): Chartered Legal Executives are eligible to apply where (i) a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) is held; or (ii) the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE has been completed; or (iii) where exams have been passed (i.e. a score of 50% or above achieved), at CILEx Level 6*, in all of the following seven foundation subjects in law:

1. Contract Law

2. Criminal Law

3. Equity and Trusts Law

4. European Union Law

5. Land Law

6. Public Law

7. Law of Tort

• There are specific requirements relating to academic achievement in the CILEx Level 6 exams where these are being used to demonstrate 2.1 degree equivalence as set out below.

Chartered Legal Executives should note we will be willing to accept an, overall, average score of 65% or above across exams passed in the seven foundation subjects in law (where studied at CILEx Level 6) as demonstrating 2.1 degree equivalence (where a 2.1 degree is not held).

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £98,000, Cabinet Office contributes £28,390 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead. You’ll benefit from a wide range of training and development opportunities and regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits. Please refer to the attached Candidate Information Pack for details.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SCS Recruitment Team
• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Civil Service Commission Selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of appointment on the basis of merit by fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance you should contact; scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk and more information can be found at www.civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk

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