Government Legal Department (GLD) online training
This six-month training programme has been designed exclusively for central GLD teams by Browne Jacobson, a Government Commercial Agency panel firm (previously CCS), with deep expertise in public sector law.
Each session is tailored to your unique legal context, ensuring the content is immediately applicable to your day-to-day work.
Course structure
The programme comprises four webinars delivered between October 2026 and February 2027:
- Modernisation and evaluation in procurement: 1 October 2026.
- An introduction to legal project management: 24 November 2026.
- A practical examination of judicial review: 8 December 2026.
- The art of the difficult conversation: 25 February 2027.
GLD training sessions
1 October 2026, 11am-12pm, online
In this session, we will be sharing practical advice and measures public sector bodies may implement to ensure a robust evaluation process, particularly where there is a shift in initial evaluator views.
Speakers
- Peter Ware, Partner at Browne Jacobson.
- Louise Bennett, Prinicipal Associate at Browne Jacobson.
24 November 2026, 11am-12pm, online
This session will provide an introduction to legal project management (LPM) and how it can support in delivery of projects and the benefits it can bring, including an overview of our LPM methodology and toolkit.
Speaker:
- Paul McCannah, Head of Legal Project Management at Browne Jacobson.
8 December 2026, 11am-12pm, online
This webinar, delivered in collaboration with Scottish law firm, Morton Fraser MacRoberts, will provide a practically focused examination of judicial review across England, Wales and Scotland, covering three key areas:
- Dealing with party litigants and the growing role of artificial intelligence in litigation and what that means for government lawyers.
- Decisions about standing, including divergences between jurisdictions.
- Current trends and horizon scanning, drawing on recent case law.
It will focus on how courts approach judicial reviews in the context of government decision-making.
Speakers
- Victoria Searle, Pincipal Associate at Browne Jacobson.
- Bill Cordingley, Senior Associate (Barrister) at Browne Jacobson.
- Jenny Dickson, Partner at Morton Fraser MacRoberts.
- Cameron Greig, Partner at Morton Fraser MacRoberts.
25 February 2027, 11am-12pm, online
Does the idea of a difficult conversation fill you with dread? You are not alone. Research shows that 57% of people would do almost anything to avoid a difficult conversation.
Difficult conversations are an unavoidable part of managing people and working with clients. Handled well, they build trust, resolve problems early, and demonstrate strong leadership. Handled badly (or avoided) they can spiral into grievances, tribunal claims, and cause lasting damage to working relationships and organisational reputation.
This session gives you the tools and confidence to handle difficult conversations well, whether with a colleague, a direct report, or a client.
Speakers
- Sam Harms, L&D Manager at Browne Jacobson.
- Sarah Gilzean, Partner at Morton Fraser MacRoberts.
1 October 2026, 11am-12pm, online
In this session, we will be sharing practical advice and measures public sector bodies may implement to ensure a robust evaluation process, particularly where there is a shift in initial evaluator views.
Speakers
- Peter Ware, Partner at Browne Jacobson.
- Louise Bennett, Prinicipal Associate at Browne Jacobson.
24 November 2026, 11am-12pm, online
This session will provide an introduction to legal project management (LPM) and how it can support in delivery of projects and the benefits it can bring, including an overview of our LPM methodology and toolkit.
Speaker:
- Paul McCannah, Head of Legal Project Management at Browne Jacobson.
8 December 2026, 11am-12pm, online
This webinar, delivered in collaboration with Scottish law firm, Morton Fraser MacRoberts, will provide a practically focused examination of judicial review across England, Wales and Scotland, covering three key areas:
- Dealing with party litigants and the growing role of artificial intelligence in litigation and what that means for government lawyers.
- Decisions about standing, including divergences between jurisdictions.
- Current trends and horizon scanning, drawing on recent case law.
It will focus on how courts approach judicial reviews in the context of government decision-making.
Speakers
- Victoria Searle, Pincipal Associate at Browne Jacobson.
- Bill Cordingley, Senior Associate (Barrister) at Browne Jacobson.
- Jenny Dickson, Partner at Morton Fraser MacRoberts.
- Cameron Greig, Partner at Morton Fraser MacRoberts.
25 February 2027, 11am-12pm, online
Does the idea of a difficult conversation fill you with dread? You are not alone. Research shows that 57% of people would do almost anything to avoid a difficult conversation.
Difficult conversations are an unavoidable part of managing people and working with clients. Handled well, they build trust, resolve problems early, and demonstrate strong leadership. Handled badly (or avoided) they can spiral into grievances, tribunal claims, and cause lasting damage to working relationships and organisational reputation.
This session gives you the tools and confidence to handle difficult conversations well, whether with a colleague, a direct report, or a client.
Speakers
- Sam Harms, L&D Manager at Browne Jacobson.
- Sarah Gilzean, Partner at Morton Fraser MacRoberts.
Why GLDs should attend
- Practical, targeted expertise: Every session is built around the specific challenges faced by government lawyers, not generic legal training. You will leave each webinar with actionable insights you can apply straight away.
- Coverage of critical and evolving areas of law: The programme spans procurement modernisation and evaluation, judicial review across England, Wales and Scotland, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence in litigation, ensuring you stay ahead of developments that directly affect government decision-making.
- Cross-jurisdictional perspective: The judicial review session is delivered in collaboration with Scottish law firm Morton Fraser MacRoberts, giving you a rare opportunity to explore divergences and common ground across multiple jurisdictions in a single session.
- Skills beyond the law: Alongside substantive legal topics, the programme equips you with essential professional skills, including Legal Project Management tools and methodologies to support effective project delivery, and practical techniques for handling difficult conversations with confidence.
Whether you are looking to sharpen your procurement knowledge, build your LPM capability, or develop stronger interpersonal skills, this programme offers a structured, high-quality pathway to professional development specifically designed for the demands of central government legal practice.
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