Legal Officer (Crime)

About Us

We help the UK move forward, faster.

For nearly 150 years, we've protected the UK economy with deep expertise and rigour, building the confidence that helps businesses access lending, investment and opportunity.

We help people deal with personal insolvency. We make statutory redundancy payments when insolvent employers can't. We investigate director conduct and take action where it's needed.

And right now, we're changing how we do all of this, becoming faster, more digitally driven, and more focused on stopping problems before they escalate.

More than 2,000 of us work in offices across England, Scotland and Wales. It might be time for you to join us.

The Role

We're looking for a Legal Officer (Crime) who wants more than a job that ticks boxes. You'll play a key role in prosecuting new offences introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA), helping to combat corporate misconduct and insolvency-related crime while supporting greater integrity and transparency around the Companies House register.

This is a role for someone who wants to think bigger, challenge the way things have always been done, and take ownership of the outcomes that matter.

We offer full-time, part-time, job share, and flexible working. We invest in your development and give our people the space to grow, take ownership and make decisions.

Reporting to a Managing Criminal Lawyer, you'll be part of a team that's central to how we combat insolvency-related crime and corporate misconduct more effectively, as part of our Enforcement Group.

What you'll do (Responsibilities)

You'll use your expertise and judgement to:

• manage a caseload of predominantly ECCTA Persons with Significant Control (PSC) and identity verification (IDV) offences, together with other insolvency-related fraud offences, from the decision to prosecute (applying the Code for Crown Prosecutors) through to trial and confiscation
• instruct Counsel or agent solicitors where appropriate, to ensure cases are presented effectively
• work with investigators to develop and pursue focused case strategies and to give clear, accurate and timely investigative advice
• build effective working relationships with external stakeholders, particularly Companies House, to support joined-up enforcement action
• attend court and undertake advocacy in magistrates' courts, including first hearings and sentencing of IDV, PSC and other insolvency-related offences
• take ownership of your casework, exercising sound judgement to find the best route to a good outcome, while remaining clear and accountable for what you deliver

Applicants must be qualified to practice as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales as of 01 October 2026.

You must have completed a training contract/pupillage/qualifying employment or have been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx.

Barristers and Solicitors qualified in a jurisdiction outside of England and Wales will be subject to the rules of the professional bodies and must have completed the Bar Transfer Test or Qualified Lawyer Transfer Scheme.

Chartered Legal Executives are eligible to apply where (i) a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) is held; or (ii) the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE has been completed; or (iii) where exams have been passed and a score of 50% or above achieved, at CILEx Level 6*, in all the following foundation subjects:

1. Contract Law

2. Criminal Law

3. Equity and Trusts Law

4. European Union Law

5. Land Law

6. Public Law

7. Law of Tort

• Note: There are specific requirements relating to academic achievement in the CILEx Level 6 exams where these are being used to demonstrate 2.1-degree equivalence as set out below.

Academic qualifications

Applicants should have a minimum of a 2:1 degree in their first degree (in any subject). Where an applicant holds an overseas degree qualification this should be equivalent to a 2:1 degree.

However, the Insolvency Service will consider applicants who do not have a 2:1 degree (or above) (e.g. where a lower degree classification is held, or, where applicants have (under the rules of the professional bodies) qualified as a Solicitor/Barrister/ Chartered Legal Executives without a degree) but only where satisfactory evidence of equivalent high level academic and/or professional achievement can be provided (e.g. via relevant experience and results achieved for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE, Legal Practice Course (LPC), Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)).

Chartered Legal Executives should note that the department will be willing to accept an, overall, average score of 65% or above across exams passed in the seven foundation subjects in law (where studied at CILEx Level 6) as demonstrating 2:1 degree equivalence (where a 2:1 degree is not held).

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Application and Sift

As part of the sift process, you will be asked to complete:

• CV
• Personal Statement
• Behaviours Behaviour 1 - Making Effective Decisions

High volume applications and benchmark scoring

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV, assessing candidates against the essential criteria. Only those who meet the essential criteria at this stage will proceed to a full assessment of their application. If a candidate does not meet the minimum requirements during the initial sift, the remainder of their application will not be reviewed. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Where high volumes of strong applications are expected or received, we may raise the ‘benchmark’ minimum score required at the sift stage. If a high volume of candidates meet the benchmark score, we may further raise the score required for interview selection. Scores will be applied fairly and consistently. Applicants eligible under a recruitment scheme may, where appropriate, continue to be considered against the agreed ‘benchmark’ score, to support the purpose of the scheme.

CV Guidance

Your CV should provide a clear overview of your employment history, key responsibilities, relevant qualifications, and the skills and experience you’ve gained throughout your career including any notable achievements.

Note: Your CV will be scored as part of the assessment process and will be assessed against the criteria outlined in the job advert.

Personal Statement Guidance

Your personal statement should be no more than 750 words and must demonstrate how your personal skills, qualities, and experience align with the requirements of the role. Please ensure your statement references the essential criteria outlined in the person specification, as well as any desirable criteria. This will help provide a clearer basis for scoring and will be particularly useful in the event of tied scores.

Note: Your personal statement will be scored as part of the assessment process and will be assessed against the criteria outlined in the job advert.

Interview Stage

If successful at the sift stage, at interview, you will be assessed on the following:

• Experience
• Behaviours - assessed through: Behaviour 1 - Making Effective Decisions
• Behaviour 2 - Communicating and Influencing
• Behaviour 3 - Delivering at Pace
• Additional assessment - Immediately prior to interview, candidates will be required to complete a written assessment based on a case study. The exercise will assess your ability to analyse evidence, identify legal issues and make sound decisions as a lawyer. The written answer will be evaluated and further questions may be asked during the interview. Full details of the assessment, including instructions for completing the exercise, will be provided to candidates when you arrive for interview.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Sift – w/c To be confirmed

Interview – w/c To be confirmed

Location - 16th Floor, 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London, E20 1HZ

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of this if you are selected for interview. Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment process.

Visa Applicants

To sponsor a candidate under the Skilled Worker visa, a sponsorship licence is required. The Insolvency Service does not currently hold this licence and therefore, cannot legally sponsor Skilled Worker visa applicants.

Hybrid Working

The Insolvency Service’s hybrid working policy offers flexibility over when and where you work and collaborate, subject to business needs.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Reasonable Adjustment

We must make reasonable adjustments if our recruitment process puts a disabled applicant at a substantial disadvantage. These are changes or support that help remove or reduce that disadvantage.

If you need an adjustment to apply, contact Government Recruitment Service at insolvencyrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date.

For adjustments later in the recruitment process, complete ‘Assistance required’ on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form. Examples include wheelchair access at interview or communication support if you are deaf or hard of hearing.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Queries and Support

When contacting us or the Government Recruitment Service (GRS) using the contact details at the bottom of this advert, please include the 6-digit Vacancy ID, job title, your full name and, where applicable, your 8-digit Applicant ID in the email subject line. This will help us process your enquiry more efficiently.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.