The Home Office’s head of legal, Juliet Wheldon, has emerged as the frontrunner to become the next Treasury Solicitor, the most senior government legal post.
Wheldon is understood to be one of four lawyers who have been shortlisted for the post, which is being vacated at the end of July by Sir Anthony Hammond QC, who is retiring. Wheldon is being tipped by insiders as the most likely person to get the job, despite concerted efforts to find suitable candidates from the City.
In April, Legal Week revealed that the Government had enlisted the services of headhunters to approach City lawyers with litigation and public law experience. To date, all holders of the post have been appointed from within the Government’s legal service. However, senior litigators have questioned whether an outsider could walk into the role without any government background.
One City candidate is believed to be Herbert Smith litigation partner Charles Plant, who headed Herbert Smith’s litigation department from 1988-95. He was unavailable for comment, but a City partner said he would make an excellent Treasury Solicitor.
The successful candidate will head a team of 1,200 lawyers in the Government Legal Service, as well as act as chief executive to the Treasury Solicitor’s Department.
The post, normally held for two or three years, commands an income of about £125,000.
