Job Description:

Employment Counsel

Contract: Legal
Location: London, E14 9SH (Hybrid)
Hours of Work: 37.5 per week
Contract Type: Permanent

Our client, a leading provider of facilities services in the UK, is seeking an Employment Counsel to report to the Head of Employment, Legal, providing pragmatic, proactive and reactive, business-focused employment law advice, guidance and document drafting to People & Culture and operational teams.

Job Overview

This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified UK employment lawyer to play a key role in delivering practical and commercially focused legal support across a broad range of employment law matters. The successful candidate will work closely with People & Culture and operational teams, providing expert advice and guidance while supporting the organisation's employment law requirements.

The role involves managing complex employment litigation, supporting employee relations matters, drafting key legal documentation, and delivering employment law training. The Employment Counsel will also build strong stakeholder relationships and contribute to the development of legal best practice across the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage employment tribunal claims from initial response through to settlement or final hearing.
• Provide pragmatic employment law advice to People & Culture and operational teams.
• Advise on employee relations matters, TUPE, trade unions, safeguarding and employment policies.
• Draft and update employment policies, legal documents, tribunal responses and contracts.
• Lead settlement negotiations and instruct external counsel where required.
• Support and prepare witnesses involved in employment litigation matters.
• Deliver employment law and Equality & Diversity training.
• Coach and mentor junior legal colleagues and stakeholders while building strong working relationships and providing commercially focused legal guidance.

Person Specification

• Qualified UK Employment Lawyer, Solicitor or Legal Executive.
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and legislation.
• Proven experience managing complex employment litigation and tribunal cases.
• Strong employee relations, TUPE and trade union experience desirable.
• Excellent legal drafting, negotiation and communication skills.
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing and coaching abilities.
• Ability to manage a busy caseload and competing priorities.
• Pragmatic, commercially minded and confident in making risk-based decisions.