Corporate report

Chief Executive's Report

Published 9 June 2022

I am pleased to share the Government Legal Department’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2021-22.

This has been a year of extraordinary achievement and challenge alike for the Government Legal Department. Good government relies on the highest quality legal support and the contribution of every member of the Department has a direct impact on making the lives of citizens in the UK, and at times more widely around the world, better. I am immensely proud of how the Department has balanced the demands of COVID-19 on our individual lives with a sustained commitment to delivering an outstanding legal service and to enhance the experience of working in GLD.

2021 was another demanding year, seeing GLD squarely at the heart of government business, with significant pace, scale and complexity of legal input expected from our world class lawyers. We have remained at the forefront of the Government’s response to COVID-19, while helping to lay the groundwork to level up the UK by building back better and fairer. We have played a central role in advising on EU Exit and its domestic implementation, helped to deliver a wide range of legislation including the Climate Change Act 2021, and helped to keep our citizens safe through a wide range of national security work and supporting the vision for Global Britain through international trade. It has reminded me why our core purpose – to help the government to govern well, within the rule of law – is truly at the centre of everything we do.

A particular highlight has been our contribution to the COP26 conference. GLD’s team, drawn from across a range of disciplines and specialisms, were embedded in the UK Presidency delegation in Glasgow, advising on negotiation procedure to the text of the Glasgow Climate Pact itself. The decisions that GLD lawyers helped to shape, will be translated into actions, policies, and laws – around the world. GLD lawyers worked around the clock, with colleagues right across Government during Operation Pitting and to help establish the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme. And latterly, as part of the United Kingdom’s steadfast support for Ukraine against Russia, GLD has again risen to the task in ensuring the Government has been able to launch an unprecedented sanctions regime. Our client satisfaction score of 96% is a testament to the contribution GLD has made across Government over the last 12 months.

But this has also been a year of change in GLD as I have built a new Executive Team to drive forward our Strategy and ensure GLD plays a full role not just in Government but across the wider legal sector. Senior portfolios have been restructured and successfully launched to align more effectively with the Government’s priorities. Through our Business Transformation Programme we have taken steps to strengthen our focus on delivery through the development of a more effective corporate planning process and so that GLD continues to reflect the Modern Civil Service. We can reflect proudly on our achievements and the actions we have taken to become an ever more inclusive employer. We have opened up new legal and paralegal training opportunities, as well as apprenticeships, to support social mobility in the department and seen our footprint grow in our offices around the UK, particularly Leeds. We have also taken steps to diversify the membership of our Talent and Succession Committee with the introduction of independent membership drawn from under-represented groups in the Civil Service.

Delivering legal excellence for Government also requires strong partnerships outside of Government. We are building collaborative relationships with our new Legal Services Panels and continue to work with a range of high-quality Counsel to support us and have continued to achieve Lexcel accreditation, the Law Society’s legal practice quality mark for practice management and client care.

These achievements are a testament to the hard work and professionalism of our staff. I am in awe at how well we have adapted quickly and effectively to a range of extraordinary and evolving situations, and I pass on my heartfelt gratitude to everyone within GLD who helped to make this all possible.

Susanna McGibbon

Treasury Solicitor