Justin Wills on the Government Legal Professional Diversity Scheme

Justin and I have been in touch for a while - he was one of the first people I shared a draft Inclusie newsletter with and, more recently, he kindly agreed to write a piece on his time on the GLP Diversity Summer Scheme. I think it’s an inspiring and interesting read wherever you are in your legal journey. Enjoy!

Introduction

For aspiring legal professionals, the most visible route into law often looks like a straight line: get onto a vacation scheme and, hopefully, convert it into a training contract; yet it is far from the only path to eventual qualification.

One of the best things about building a legal career is that it can really be tailored around the working life that suits you and your aspirations, but it’s easy to slip into the silo of the traditional pathway without considering the alternatives available out there.

The Government Legal Profession (GLP) Diversity Summer Scheme gives aspiring lawyers a chance to explore one of those less visible routes. Running for a week in person or two days virtually, it offers people from backgrounds underrepresented in law a close-up view of government legal work. Each participant is assigned a buddy who works for the GLP, who you connect with on the last few days on the scheme to join them in their team.

The GLP is the professional community connecting thousands of lawyers across government. It includes the Government Legal Department (GLD), the government’s principal legal adviser and largest provider of legal services. The scheme places participants inside this vast organisation to tackle exercises modelled on trainee work, learn about what its many teams do on a daily basis and provides an opportunity to network with GLP colleagues across different disciplines. It also focuses on developing the individual behind the aspiring lawyer, building professional confidence and providing an understanding of how to thrive as a GLD trainee.

Reflecting the GLP’s desire to represent the communities it serves, the in-person scheme is held in Bristol, Leeds, London and Manchester (I joined the London cohort which is led by Mellissa Akinya). The experience leaves you far better equipped to put forward a stronger, better-informed application for the GLD’s entry-level opportunities, such as their Legal Trainee Scheme, should you come away thinking that working within government law is for you.

The Scheme

Day one was a rather eventful one, coinciding with Andy Burnham becoming Prime Minister. Despite the inevitable disruption as a result, Treasury Solicitor and GLD Permanent Secretary Doug Wilson KC (Hon) still made time to speak to us as scheduled. Asked later what he hoped participants would gain, he summed up the scheme’s purpose to me as follows:

“I think that knowing what’s out there and being able to try and make the most informed choices you can, is what we’re hoping to help you get.”

Doug Wilson KC (Hon)

The rest of the week did exactly that, providing a very clear sense of what a government legal career actually involves.

An example of the practical exercises undertaken involved reviewing amendments from government departments to a fictional bill restricting junk-food advertising near schools. In groups, we decided which could fit within the bill and suggested alternatives. This required us to grasp the brief quickly and negotiate, much as GLD lawyers do daily.

Their stories made the distance between aspiration and reality feel much smaller, and reminded me that setbacks do not close the door, no matter how many there are. That sense of possibility was reinforced by my conversations with senior GLD colleagues, making clear that they want trainees to feel they belong and have the support to learn and do their best work.

Interested in applying?

My biggest tip is to follow current affairs and government news with the GLD in mind and explore the department’s website and publications. Understanding how the GLD fits into government, alongside its goals and wider vision, will strengthen your application. That preparation will also mean less time decoding the basics when you arrive and more time asking questions that get beneath the surface.

If you’re offered a place, build a rapport with your buddy over email and ask which areas of law their team works in. Use their answer to guide some targeted research before your placement days. That level of preparation will help you develop more astute insights and get far more from the experience, which is how you'll stand out.

Make time to connect with people too; those conversations can broaden your understanding of the GLD, and the relationships you build may become a valuable source of support when preparing the best possible application to their Legal Trainee Scheme. For example, mentioning my interest in intellectual property (IP) law in one conversation led to an illuminating discussion with another GLD colleague who was attending the scheme and worked specifically on IP matters.

The GLP Diversity Summer Scheme will not fast-track you into the department, but it offers a rare first-hand view of government legal work and can help you picture a career within it. To me, it’s a shining example of widening access to the profession done properly, and is one that more legal employers should follow.

Thank you so much, Justin! You can follow him on LinkedIn here. Details of the 2027 GLP Diversity Scheme haven’t yet been published but we’ll keep an eye out.