Legal Trainee

Are you looking for a Legal Traineeship that offers a unique and stimulating start to your legal career, working right at the heart of government?
GLSS (Government Legal Service for Scotland) is recruiting for our two-year traineeships commencing in September 2025.
Our traineeships are one of the most varied and rewarding available, offering opportunities for trainees to be involved at the cutting edge of public law. We deal with big issues that have a tangible effect on people’s lives, the work of a wide range of organisations and our environment.
GLSS consists of a number of offices based in Edinburgh, Glasgow and London that provide legal services to central government in Scotland (in particular the Scottish Government and the UK Government).
Your training will involve high quality, often high profile, work covering a wide range of legal issues that impact our society in Scotland. We advise on government policy, legislation and functions as well as on topics such as human rights, constitutional law and private law. We represent the Scottish and UK governments at courts, tribunals and inquiries and play a key role in the implementation of new powers devolved to Scotland such as social security. The legal work of GLSS is varied, topical, rewarding and much of it is unique.
There will be opportunities to work in a variety of GLSS offices, as well as the possibility of secondment in the second year to a private practice firm or to the Office of Solicitor to the Scottish Parliament. The majority of seats are based in Edinburgh, with hybrid working in line with current Scottish Government policies, but seats in other locations are sometimes possible or required.
There may be the possibility of a permanent role after the traineeship subject to satisfactory performance, vacancies at the end of your traineeship and success in a formal assessment centre.
We’re more than ambitious about diversity and inclusion. It’s our people that make us great and we want them to reflect the make-up of modern Scotland. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and particularly from groups currently under-represented in Scottish Government and the legal profession in Scotland, including people with a disability, from minority ethnic communities or from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Responsibilities
Competencies
Analysis and Use of Evidence
Self-Awareness
Communications and Engagement
Improving Performance
We will also test, at assessment stage, the specialist skill of Legal Knowledge
Qualifications
You must have an LLB in Scots Law from a provider accredited by the Law Society of Scotland along with a completed Diploma in Professional Legal Practise before commencing your traineeship.
Essential Criteria
1. Ability to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of public law and its practical application to government in Scotland or an equivalent jurisdiction.
2. Ability to organise and manage your own workload in a flexible way to respond to competing priorities.
3. Ability to make and clearly explain decisions based on your analysis of relevant evidence.
4. Strong interpersonal and communication (written and verbal) skills, with the ability to establish and build strong working relationships.