Costs Draftsperson

GOVERNMENT LEGAL DEPARTMENT

Senior Costs Lawyer/Draftsperson (Grade 6 and Grade 7 roles available)

Location: Bristol, Croydon, Leeds, London, Manchester

Contract: Permanent

Salary: Grade 6: £70,984 national, £74,681 Croydon/London Grade 7: £57,263 national, £59,167 Croydon/London

Much more than law

The Government Legal Department (GLD) is the largest provider of legal services across government, working with all the main Whitehall departments. From energy to security, and from roads and rivers to health and human rights, our work touches on most aspects of public life. Developing and drafting legislation, helping to secure economic and trade relationships, providing legal advice on polices and ensuring value from contracts, our work is as varied as it is stimulating.

The Costs team sits within the Litigation Directorate of the GLD which delivers litigation services to the majority of UK government departments and executive agencies, as well as to many non-departmental public bodies. Our work frequently raises issues of constitutional importance and spans a broad range of subject matters. In addition to mainstream litigation, the Directorate supports major public inquiries and inquests, and its lawyers regularly appear before a wide range of courts and tribunals, including Coroners’ Courts, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, the Royal Courts of Justice, and the Supreme Court.

Your role

We’re currently looking for one Grade 6 Senior Cost Lawyer/Draftsperson and three Grade 7 Costs Lawyers/Draftspersons to join our growing team. These have come about as part of our commitment to grow and develop the team as a designated Centre of Excellence. As a designated Costs Centre of Excellence, the team provides specialist costs expertise across GLD and the government litigation work it supports.

Offering high quality day-to-day management and technical support to a mini-team of junior colleagues, and taking an active part in regular management meetings, you’ll be committed to developing a nurturing environment while maintaining a strong focus on quality and performance.?

Conducting a caseload of complex, high-value and high-profile costs matters, including group litigation with appropriate support, you’ll provide advice and guidance to colleagues and clients on issues ranging from discrete costs questions to wider costs strategies.. We’ll also expect you to make an important contribution to leadership, delivery of our corporate objectives and the encouragement of a culture of continuous improvement, and forge positive relationships with key clients and internal litigation teams.

While both roles involve managing complex and high-profile costs matters and contributing to the development of the Costs Centre of Excellence, the Grade 6 role carries additional responsibility for the strategic leadership and development of the team. The Grade 6 post holder will act as a senior technical authority on costs matters, support the deputy director in managing the team, lead strategically significant or novel costs issues and help shape service delivery, capability development and stakeholder engagement across GLD and its clients.

About you

To be a success in one of these roles you should be a fully qualified Costs Lawyer or experienced Costs Draftsperson with deep technical knowledge and substantial costs experience gained in a variety of settings and areas. With an in-depth understanding of CPR and litigation processes, we’ll expect you to have a proven track record of personally handling high value and complex costs casework requiring strategic or tactical direction in adverse, recovery and budgeting work. An inspirational leader and motivating communicator, you should also be ready to share your skills and expertise with less experienced colleagues.

Committed to keeping up to speed with the latest developments in costs law and procedure, and ensuring this knowledge is captured and disseminated to the team, litigation colleagues and clients, you should also possess line management experience gained in a cost setting. In addition, the ability to devise appropriate strategies to resolve complex cases would be desirable, as would well developed client care skills.

All GLD employees must hold Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) vetting. If you are based in our London offices you must also hold or be willing to obtain CTC level clearance. More information about the vetting process can be found here.

Benefits

While your previous experience may be relevant, Government work is likely to involve a rapid learning curve as you acquire a number of legal skills and knowledge not required in private practice. However, we will provide you with the support you’ll need to acquire the necessary expertise, and have a thriving CPD-accredited in-house training programme.

GLD encourages its people to develop their skills in a nurturing environment. Other benefits include access to a valuable civil service pension and flexible working arrangements.

Our vision is to be an outstanding legal organisation and a brilliant place to work where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. This is an exciting time for GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.

Closing date for applications: 7 October 2026

Apply by clicking on the Apply button below