Stephen Amos, GLD

The director of the litigation group at the U.K. Government Legal Department (GLD) has passed away, the confirmed on Wednesday.

Stephen Amos died on Monday evening of an illness which is not related to COVID-19, according to a person close to the matter.

Amos was the director of the litigation group at the GLD for close to two years, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to that role, Amos held a position as director of the Cabinet Office legal advisers at the GLD for seven years, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The head of the Government Legal Department, Jonathan Jones QC, paid tribute to Amos on Twitter on Tuesday night.

Jones added in a statement to Law.com International on Wednesday: "Stephen was an exceptional lawyer, leader, colleague and great friend to very many.  He was the most diligent of public servants, committed to the highest standards. Stephen thought deeply about things, including leadership, diversity and fairness.  He will be very much missed."

Richard Moorhead, head of the law school at the University of Exeter, replied to Jones on Twitter: "He loved his work and those he worked with. Not in a weird workaholic overly driven way but in an absolutely authentic, human way. I knew him 30 years and his time at GLD was him absolutely at his peak. Brilliant, loving it, sharing his best."

Alex Thomas, director at the Institute for Government Programme, also replied, saying: "This is the worst news. Stephen was brilliant, insightful, dedicated, wise. So wise. But even more than that fun, mischievous, a person, a leader. RIP Stephen and love to his close colleagues and his family x"

Amos held several other roles in government branches. He previously was the legal director at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for two years, deputy legal director at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills also for two years, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He was also deputy legal director at the Health and Safety Executive for three years. Throughout the 1990s, he was a solicitor at Herbert Smith Freehils for four years and later joined Bates Wells Braithwaite for three years, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The GLD employs around 1,400 solicitors and barristers, according to its website. The litigation group Amos was leading provides litigation services to the majority of government departments and executive agencies, as well as many non-departmental public bodies, according to the GLD's website.