My week at GLP – Diversity Summer Scheme 2026
I was lucky enough to secure an in-person place on the Diversity Summer Scheme 2026 (“the Scheme”) at the Government Legal Profession (“GLP”), through their partnership with Society of Asian Lawyers. The week was designed to give participants from a range of backgrounds an insight into the GLP, opportunities to build professional connections, and encouragement to consider applying for its training contract and other legal pathways.
Each day was slightly different, with talks and workshops from a range of government departments and legal teams. It was an exciting opportunity to see just how varied a career in government law can be.
For those who may not know much about the work that GLP do or want to know more about what my week consisted of, here is my account of my experience.
Monday – Strap in, here we go!
The first day was hosted by a Senior Lawyer at the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) who began with an introduction to the GLP and Government Legal Department (GLD), alongside a useful revision of how Parliament passes legislation, including the various readings in both the House of Commons and House of Lords.
Joining remotely from their respective teams, we also had the privilege of hearing from Doug Wilson KC, Treasury Solicitor. He spoke about his background and experience within government law. Interestingly, this was also the day that Andy Burnham took over as Prime Minister, so Doug discussed how a change in Government can have an immediate impact on the work of GLD.
I found it particularly interesting to see how closely the GLP is affected by changes in government compared with a traditional corporate law firm. Government lawyers are, of course, ultimately there to serve the Government of the day, meaning that political changes can have a direct impact on their work and priorities.
Another highlight of the day was hearing from the now Attorney General, Ellie Reeves, formerly the Solicitor General. She spoke about her work tackling violence against women and girls and overseeing the Crown Prosecution Services (“CPS”) Early Victims’ Right to Review scheme, which allows victims to request a secondary review of certain CPS decisions.
While I cannot speak for everyone, I can say that I found her words incredibly inspiring. She encouraged us to “find what motivates you”, which has further solidified my desire to pursue a legal career where I can make a meaningful difference.
One of the most memorable talks of the day came from Mellissa Akinya, a Senior Government Lawyer and founder of the Black Lawyers Circle. She spoke candidly about her humble beginnings and non-traditional route to qualification, having worked her way up from a legal administrator role.
It was not just me who found her story inspiring – the online chat was flooded with participants sharing how much they had taken from her words. One piece of advice that particularly stayed with me was: “If you’re failing, do not use the same strategy.”
For me, this is an important reminder to continually adapt and change your approach, particularly when navigating applications, schemes and the wider legal recruitment process.
Tuesday – Remote Day
What made the Scheme so enjoyable was that every day looked different. On Tuesday, we did not need to travel into a department and instead attended our sessions online, replicating a modern hybrid workplace practice and flexibility.
The day began with an introduction to Competition Law, Consumer Law and “Being a Lawyer at the CMA”. This session was particularly insightful and showed me how interesting competition law can be.
I am still considering which area of law I want to specialise, and had previously been leaning away from corporate law because I was unsure whether I would find it interesting. However, the session highlighted the importance of competition law and the role it plays in regulating markets and protecting consumers.
Next, we had recruitment sessions. This was a detailed overview of the recruitment process for both legal and non-legal pathways at GLD. I found this particularly useful, as I had not previously heard of the Solicitor Graduate Apprenticeship – a 30-month route which also results in qualification as a solicitor.
The final highlight of the day was the FCDO session.
Overall, the remote day was insightful but I noted the difference compared to an in-person session. Being physically present made it easier to absorb information, engage with speakers and interact with other participants. .
Wednesday – midweek already!
I was very happy to be back in person – now at the Department for Transport . By this point, I had made some friends and connections on the Scheme, which made it even more enjoyable to reflect on the sessions together and have the opportunity to network.
Our first session was with staff from Parliamentary Counsel. The team has been responsible for drafting UK legislation since 1869, which was fascinating to learn.
One interesting fact we discussed was how a change in Prime Minister and Government can raise questions about who holds particular titles and responsibilities, such as the Duchy of Lancaster.
One piece of advice that stood out to me was the importance of being open to all forms of feedback. Being willing to listen, learn and grow is essential, particularly at the beginning of your legal career.
We later had “Education Law in Action”. The GLD Lawyer spoke about her work on the Children and Wellbeing Act, including the uniform provisions aimed at improving affordability by limiting the number of branded school uniform items. With the current cost of living crisis with families struggling financially across the country, the importance and significance of both primary and secondary schools being restricted as to what they can charge parents for branded uniforms is vital.
It was fascinating to see how much detail can go into drafting a single piece of legislation. Before this session, I had not fully appreciated the level of precision involved in debating seemingly small aspects of a law. It heightened my interest in public law while also making me appreciate just how much thought and work goes into the legislation that governs our everyday lives.
We also took part in an interactive exercise where we had to identify and organise priorities for schools. For example, we discussed the issues that might arise if a student filmed and uploaded a video mocking their teacher. It was interesting to consider the different competing interests and legal issues that could arise from a seemingly simple situation.
What followed was a networking masterclass. We discussed how to become more comfortable approaching new people, how to start conversations and even how to navigate food and drinks at networking events.
I really appreciated this session. Networking is talked about more than ever, particularly in the legal profession, but it can sometimes feel like nobody actually explains how to do it. We were given the opportunity to put networking guidance into practice by having a live networking session with fellow participants, GLD Lawyers, the Society of Asian Lawyers’ current President, Muntech Kaur and Immediate Past President, Ranjit Sond. The masterclass proved particularly useful for me – it was actually through networking at the Scheme that I got the opportunity to write this article in the first place. Thank you, Society of Asian Lawyers!
Next, we had a session from HMRC Legal Group. What particularly interested me was learning about their advisory work. HMRC lawyers provide legal advice on tax and customs policy, involving areas such as public law, EU law and international trade law. They also work on the Finance Bill each year and advise on negotiations surrounding international tax and customs agreements.
The final highlight of the day was a session from the Law Commission, an independent body funded by the Government. I learnt that there are four Law Commissions covering England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with different teams working across areas including criminal, property and commercial law.
The speakers, including Sir Peter Fraser, discussed the Law Commission’s current work on the law of homicide, including questions around whether the existing framework should distinguish between different levels of homicide, similar to the first- and second-degree distinctions used in some jurisdictions in the United States.
What I particularly enjoyed was learning about the consultation process behind law reform. This can involve speaking to victims’ loved ones, prisoners, researchers and other stakeholders before recommendations are made. I loved learning about this because it demonstrated that law reform is about understanding its real-world impact and carefully considering the perspectives of those affected.
Thursday — Cyber Security
On Thursday, many of us were placed in different departments, including HMRC, the Treasury and national security teams. I was fortunate enough to be placed at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which I was particularly excited about because, before the Scheme, I had very little idea of what the organisation actually did.
I learnt that when a cyber incident affects the wider public sector, industry or the general public, the NCSC can play a key role in responding to the incident. Its work involves understanding the impact of cyber threats, helping to minimise the consequences of attacks and supporting efforts to prevent future breaches.
We also had a fascinating presentation on AI and national security, which felt particularly topical. This led to an interesting debate about where we think artificial intelligence could be in 100 years and the extent to which it might affect society and human life.
Overall, I loved this day because it was so different from the others. Rather than exploring multiple departments throughout the day, we were able to focus on one department and gain a much deeper insight into its work.
Friday — Buddy Shadowing Day
My final day of the week was spent with my allocated “Buddy” a Graduate Solicitor Apprentice.
I was able to ask as many questions as I wanted in a much more informal environment, while also being introduced to senior lawyers.
One of the most valuable parts of the day was getting an insider perspective on the application and recruitment process. My Buddy shared what she had found successful and unsuccessful during her own journey.
One particularly useful tip was that interviewers are extremely passionate about public law and want to see genuine enthusiasm from candidates. This reinforced for me the importance of demonstrating not only what you have done, but why you care about the work you are applying to do.
We also discussed the importance of political neutrality when working as a Government Lawyer. In particular, we spoke about the potential implications of being overly political on public-facing platforms such as LinkedIn, given the need for government lawyers to operate with professionalism and neutrality.
Looking Back
Overall, the week gave me a much clearer insight into what working in Government law actually looks like day-to-day. From parliamentary drafting, education law to competition law, tax, national security and cyber security, I was struck by just how very broad the work of government lawyers can be.
Most importantly, the experience reinforced my interest in pursuing a legal career where I can make a meaningful difference. I left the Scheme with a greater understanding of the GLP, new connections and plenty of advice to take forward into my final year of university.
It was a privilege to be part of the Diversity Summer Scheme 2026, and I am incredibly grateful to everyone who took the time to share their experiences with us. For anyone thinking that there the only pathway to being a lawyer was private practice, think again. Law impacts every aspect of our lives – everyday and being part of this Scheme highlighted the important work done by GLD.
Noorum Khan
Final Year University Student
