Legal

Our legal team is in-house

Your legal career with us

I am Sonya Branch, Executive Director of the Bank of England’s Legal Directorate and General Counsel.

Only a few legal teams can truly say the work they do is unique and cutting edge. Fewer still have a hand in writing the laws they uphold. And only a handful wake up quite so often to hear about their work in the morning’s news.

This – together with the commitment of our lawyers, paralegals and dedicated support staff - is what makes our Legal Directorate the In-House Legal Team of the Year 2022!

I have worked in many interesting places during my career, but I can definitely say the Bank of England is the most diverse, fast-paced and exciting. 

The work we do here is frequently challenging and sometimes demanding, but it is always rewarding.  We work hard to support each other. 

Members of our team come from many different legal and cultural backgrounds. We go out of our way to celebrate our differences and listen to each other, so that everyone’s voice is heard. 

If you would like to join our award-winning team, please read on to find out more about us and our current opportunities. 

Sonya Branch

Winner

Sonya Branch

General Counsel and member of the Executive Directors’ Committee

What we do

We support all policy areas and key statutory committees of the Bank of England, including the Prudential Regulation Authority. We enjoy regular engagement at the very top of the organisation. 

We work closely with legal teams in other central banks internationally, the Financial Conduct Authority and HM Treasury.

Many aspects of our work will be familiar to you. They include financial services regulation, bank and payments, due diligence, insolvency and restructuring, litigation, employment, contracts, procurement and data protection. 

Other aspects may not be so familiar. They include supervision of banks, insurers and market infrastructure, as well as the Bank of England’s activities as the UK’s central bank.

We aim to do as much of our work as possible in-house. This means the breadth, depth and complexity of the legal issues we handle are very unusual for an in-house function. 

One day is rarely the same as another. Some examples of our work include:

  • advising our policy committees on effective decision-making in a public law context
  • enabling the launch of a new banknote or lending scheme, such as the Covid Corporate Financing Facility
  • supporting colleagues when a bank is in trouble or with employment matters
  • advising on the impact of new technologies on payments and the future of money
  • drafting new rules or binding technical standards
  • investigating rule-breaches by firms and individuals, building and preparing enforcement cases

Join our team

We welcome new colleagues with legal experience in any of the above areas and we also welcome those who may not have any directly relevant prior experience but who are seeking a new challenge. 

Our team consists of around 170 colleagues from both the private and public sectors and from many different countries and backgrounds. 

You are not expected to be an expert across all aspects of our work.. We invest in people and their careers. When you join our team, we will provide guidance and support you every step of the way. 

What we all have in common is the pride we share in our strong commitment to the Bank of England’s mission to maintain monetary and financial stability for the good of the people of the UK. 

It is an exciting time to join us as we continue to work hard to support the UK economy not just through a global pandemic, but also in building a new post-Brexit regulatory framework for financial services.

Much of the legal advice we give needs to take account of the public law context and we understand that this may be a new angle for you. Rest assured that you have a thorough induction.

We are looking for new colleagues who are willing to learn quickly, engage openly and rise to the challenge. We share information and insights freely. We are collaborative, not competitive and we do not typically need to record our time. 

Instead, we invest in our people and their careers. And we pride ourselves on our commitment to inclusive and supportive people management. We will encourage you try new things and develop a broad range of expertise.

How to apply

We regularly advertise vacancies for qualified lawyers. Typically, we look for lawyers with 1 to 4 years’ post qualified experience (PQE), or 4+ years’ PQE for more senior positions. 

If you’re interested in joining us, see our current vacancies. If there are no suitable vacancies, please check back soon. 

If you are at the beginning of your legal career, please see the below trainee solicitor scheme .

Search our vacancies

  • About the programme

    This 30-month programme is designed for students looking to gain on-the-job experience at the heart of the UK’s Central Bank, whilst working toward qualifying through a graduate solicitor apprenticeship.

    Fact box 

    • Length of programme: 30 Months
    • Start date: Early September
    • Application open and close date: Open September 2024 and close November 2024. Please register your interest to be notified
    • Location: London offices (hybrid)
    • Salary: £39,000

    Is this route for you?

    Read our introduction to the Trainee Solicitor Development Programme.

    This programme could be right for you if you are:

    • keen to launch your legal career 
    • eager to qualify as a solicitor at the UK’s Central Bank
    • looking to build your network and find out more about career opportunities at the Bank

    To apply for the Trainee Solicitor Development Programme, you must meet the below entry requirements’:

    • GCSE English and Maths at grade C (4) or above, or English and Maths Functional Skills at pass

    Predicted or achieved one of the following:

    • 2.1 UK law degree; or
    • 2.1 non-law degree plus a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL);
    • or law degree from a non-UK jurisdiction plus a PGDL.
    • have not already completed LPC or SQE1
    • are a UK citizen or you hold another residence status which meets the apprenticeship funding criteria set out by the Education and Skills Funding Agency
    • comply with any Solicitors Regulation Authority character and suitability requirements

    If you hold qualifications from educational institutions outside of the UK, you may need a statement of comparability.

    We ask that any of the above criteria was met from 2021 onwards. 

    If you are driven and keen to learn and build a career this could be a good option for you.

    We’re committed to nurturing a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

    What to expect

    You will receive a bespoke induction and training programme for the Bank’s trainee solicitors as well as access to a wide range of training opportunities within the Legal Directorate. In addition to receiving training from colleagues in Legal Directorate, you will regularly receive training from experts from across the wider Bank as well as external speakers from the Government, other UK regulators such as the Financial Conduct Authority, overseas authorities, and the private sector.

    You will be exposed to a unique combination of public and private law issues. We work on legal matters related to:

    • financial services regulation, 
    • banking and payments, 
    • insolvency and restructuring, 
    • litigation, and 
    • the UK’s central bank. 

    How could you develop?

    On the programme you will:

    • A paid-for course at the University of Law to prepare for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE1 and SQE2).
    • spend 20% of your working week studying with the University of Law (ULaw) and 80% of your week working within our Legal Directorate.
    • You will have the opportunity to qualify as a solicitor at the UK’s central bank and you can earn as you learn.
    • Receive study leave around exam periods.
    • Complete a mix of six and twelve-month rotations across three or more divisions of the Legal Directorate – giving you experience in Central Banking, Financial Stability, Enforcement and Litigation, Insurance and Deposit-takers, and EU and International.
    • Have access to a wide range of induction and training opportunities and support from a highly experienced legal team.

    After passing your SQE and completing work experience you will be eligible to become a solicitor registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (subject to meeting relevant character and suitability requirements). At this point, we would welcome you to apply for jobs in the Bank of England as a newly qualified lawyer. 

    What we offer you

    In addition to your salary you will receive our comprehensive benefits package.

    How to apply 

    Register your interest for our 2025 opportunities. For more information on the application process see How to apply for our Future Talent programmes.

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This page was last updated 08 July 2024