Role: Lawyer
Location: London
Job Type: Full-time; Permanent
The Role
We are looking to grow our successful adult, children and health team. You will be a qualified Lawyer (solicitor/barrister/chartered legal executive) ideally with local government experience or relevant previous experience in the areas of the work undertaken by the Team – but that is not essential. We are keen to hear from you if you have experience of Adult Social Care Law (including within the Court of Protection, Community DoLS, and Mental Health Law) and have the ability to manage a varied, exciting and challenging case load.
Key responsibilities:
- Providing advice on employment-related and contentious/potentially contentious matters including investigations, long-term absence cases and managed exits
- Collating and analysing information to identify potential patterns of behaviour
- Advising colleagues (in the UK and other offices) on policies and practices for the firm and requests for exceptions
- Ensuring legal compliance and conducting research as necessary
- Assessing the impact of legal developments, initiating changes to ensure compliance and maximising the commercial opportunities provided by such changes
- Managing or providing assistance in respect of employment-related litigation including settlement negotiations
- Drafting, reviewing, updating and negotiating employment documentation, such as standard forms, template contracts, guidance, contractor and settlement agreements
- Advising on organisational changes (eg restructurings, TUPE transfers, potential variations to terms and conditions)
- Liaising with external counsel as necessary
- Identifying and implementing opportunities for improving and streamlining processes
- Such other tasks may be necessary from time to time
Person specification:
- Excellent academics and educated to a degree level
- Lawyer qualified in the laws of England and Wales
- A proficient and broad knowledge of employment law and tribunal practice and their practical application
- Enough experience and sound judgement to be able to move matters forward with minimal day to day supervision. As an indication, it is anticipated that it would be likely to take around 2-5 years’ post qualification experience of advising HR departments and other stakeholders and managing cases in an employment law practice to acquire a suitable level of experience. Applications from strong candidates who have gained the relevant experience over a shorter period would also be considered
- Previous in-house experience is desirable. Working in a global organisation would also be desirable
Desirable skills / expertise:
- High integrity
- Emotional intelligence and strong interpersonal skills: consistently calm, approachable, supportive, positive, reliable and tactful
- Excellent technical skills and employment law knowledge, with a proven ability to present alternatives and propose solutions
- High credibility with an ability to establish respect, trust and influence quickly at all business levels
- Excellent independent judgement with an objective, confident and pragmatic approach to decision-making
- Highly effective communication skills (both orally and in writing) with an ability to present advice clearly and succinctly with a keen eye for presentation and excellent attention to detail
- The ability to give and receive feedback well