Government lawyers growing their presence in Manchester office
GLD's Manchester office officially open
GLD Director General Sarah Goom, The Attorney General, the Rt Hon Victoria Prentis KC MP, the Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP and HMRC Deputy Director Angus Edwards
The Government Legal Department (GLD) has solidified its presence in Manchester with the official opening of its Salford office in New Three Bailey.
Joined by The Attorney General, the Rt Hon Victoria Prentis KC MP, the Solicitor General, Michael Tomlinson KC MP, GLD Director General, Sarah Goom and Angus Edwards, Deputy Director at HMRC, the opening event saw guests from across the legal profession and Civil Service hear from seniors on the future growth of GLD.
The Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of GLD, Susanna McGibbon, also joined via video.
Government lawyers have been working from the premises since April 2023 and there are currently 42 members of staff based in Manchester.
Lawyers have been working on an array of issues, including advising on public sector pension schemes, plans for the Sizewell C programme, and free trade agreement negotiations with Israel and Greenland.
GLD plans to increase the number of staff at the Manchester office and regularly advertises roles.
Expansion plans sees GLD considered the largest in-house legal practice in the country, working closely alongside established private firms with offices in Manchester and across the North.
In its commitment to supporting Places for Growth, the opening of the Manchester office will allow GLD to access a wide and diverse talent pool to work on cross cutting legal issues at the heart of government.
Attorney General, Victoria Prentis KC MP, said:
“Government lawyers work on the most sensitive and complex issues, which have far reaching impacts. That is why it is imperative we have a representative legal workforce that can provide expert advice to the government.
“The opening of the Manchester office is a significant milestone, and I am incredibly proud that GLD is providing further opportunities in the north-west to aspiring and established legal professionals. This will help GLD continue to attract and retain the best and brightest talent in the government legal profession.”
Director General for the Commercial with Trade and International Directorate, Sarah Goom, said:
“This is such an exciting time for the department to be expanding in the north and opening up careers in government law for lawyers across the region.
By establishing another office like this one in Manchester we are able to access a much wider diverse talent pool than ever before, supporting movement between government legal teams and encouraging interchange between the private and public legal sectors.”
GLD is the government’s principal legal adviser and is made up of up of nearly 3,000 colleagues with over 2,500 lawyers.
GLD lawyers advise on complex and sensitive legal issues, representing the government in cases ranging from education and transport to helping deliver the government’s legislative agenda.
Government lawyers have supported the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022, which increased the age of consent to marry from 16 and 17 with parental consent to 18. The Act is intended to help prevent forced marriages.
Working as a government lawyer also provides the opportunity to work on once in generation events, such as the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. Government lawyers were integral to the legal preparations in the run-up to the event, including preparing licensing agreements and broadcasting agreements, so the event could be shown to millions of people around the world.
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