Employment Solicitor/Associate

Key Duties:

• Advice and guidance to clients on all aspects of employment law and other HR related matters including contracts of employment, service agreements, employee handbooks, internal policies and procedures, discipline and grievance, redundancy, restructuring, sickness absence, family friendly rights, equality and diversity, settlement agreements, trade union and collective issues and transfer or undertakings.
• Drafting and amending all documentation supporting the above, including advice notes, letters and other documents, client scripts for meetings and employee consultation exercises.
• Providing corporate support on employment matters arising out of transactional work including, due diligence reporting, advice and guidance on the application of TUPE (both internally to the corporate fee earners and externally to clients), negotiation of warranties and indemnities governing the transfer of employees and the preparation and negotiation of warranties and indemnities governing the transfer of employees and the preparation and negotiation of all ancillary documentation, such as settlement agreements, service agreements, consultancy agreements and all employee communications in relation to proposed transfers.
• Dealing with the defence of claims brought before the Employment Tribunal by the employees and former employees of clients (for example, unfair dismissal, discrimination, unlawful deductions from wages, whistleblowing) which will include advice on the merits and prospects of a client’s defence, consideration of the ET1, preparation of the client’s ET3, requests for further and better particulars of the claim, attendance at preliminary hearings, preparation of replies to schedules of loss, preparation of witness evidence, instruction of medical experts in disability matters, instruction of Counsel, attendance at hearings, negotiation and implementation of any settlements and inter parties correspondence.
• Contributing to monthly bulletins and press articles and preparing and speaking at client focused seminars and other business development initiatives.
• Attending meetings with prospective clients in relation to our fixed price employment product.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will be highly organised and have the ability to multitask and work independently.  Applicants should be comfortable dealing with a diverse and busy workload.  They will have a methodical approach to work with strong verbal and written communication skills, as the position will involve speaking with clients and intermediaries.