Job Description
Your New Company
An international law firm with offices in Belfast are recruiting for a Senior Associate Solicitor to join their pre-eminent Employment Law team.
The Employment Law team are dedicated specialists in all areas of employment law with a track record of leading precedent setting cases on issues of the day.
They’re consistently top-ranked amongst peers and advise UK and multinational clients of all sizes, with most Partners independently rated as leaders in the field.
Not only is the Employment team the largest employment team in the UK, they’ve truly global reach as members of Ius Laboris, the world’s leading employment law alliance, plus an Asia Pacific base in Hong Kong and offices in Dublin.
They work with iconic brands and leading multinationals to pioneering start-ups, helping them to turn their ideas into reality and get the best from - and for - their people.
Your New Role
As the Senior Associate Solicitor on the Employment Law team, you will help clients realise their potential in their people and navigate their strategic HR and legal issues.
You will advise on the full range of employment services:
- General employment – day to day queries e.g. disciplinaries and grievances, contracts and policies, flexible working, maternity rights, discrimination and support on larger projects such as restructures and redundancies.
- Employment litigation – defending Employment Tribunal claims made against employers (e.g. unfair dismissal discrimination, whistleblowing, equal pay), bringing high value Employment Tribunal claims on behalf of individuals and supporting with dispute resolution through mediation/ arbitration.
- High Court litigation – restrictive covenant litigation, team moves, obtaining/ resisting/ enforcing injunctions, claims relating to misuse of confidential information.
- Trade Unions/Collective – advising employers on all aspects of industrial action, collective consultation, union recognition and works councils.
- Transactional support – supporting on the employment aspects (including due diligence and TUPE) of M&A, divestments and outsourcings.
- Atypical working – advising on areas such as agency workers, zero hours contracts, employment status, apprenticeships, the gig economy.
- Global mobility – supporting employers with the relocation of employees for long term periods (covering employment, immigration and tax issues).
- Reward - covering employment tax, cash plan and incentives, shares and options and other aspects of employee reward.
- Health & Safety - implementing policies, conducting risk assessments and advising employers on their legal obligations.
- Senior Executives - high value litigation, bonus/ breach of contract claims and advice relating to entering and exiting businesses.
- Irish employment law - all aspects of Irish employment law.
- Northern Irish employment law – all aspects of Northern Irish employment law.
- International employment support – coordinating and project managing advice from single country matters to global projects. For larger international clients, we are able to provide platforms to log/track queries.
What you’ll Need To Succeed
As the Senior Associate Solicitor on the Employment Law team, you will be able to demonstrate:
- 5 to 8 years’ post-qualification experience in an Employment team. Ideally you will be dual qualified and have experience in Employment Laws in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
- Deep technical knowledge of most of the employment areas listed above.
- Excellent drafting, analytical and communication skills as well as strong attention to detail.
- Comfortable with taking responsibility for work output, working autonomously and dealing directly with clients.
- Experience supervising junior lawyers is helpful.
- An ambitious, proactive, curious, commercial, responsive attitude.
- Examples of marketing and business development initiatives they have been involved with.
- Experience of acting for employer clients on both general advisory and employment litigation work is preferred.
- A team player who is keen to support others to learn and who is keen to learn and develop their own skills.
What You'll Receive In Return
As the Senior Associate Solicitor on the Employment Law team, you will receive an excellent salary, package of benefits, strong pension, generous annual leave allowance, life assurance, Programme, Healthcare.
Applying For Your New Role
Does this position sound of interest? Please submit your CV confidentially and we will be in touch shortly to discuss the opportunity in further detail. Or, if you prefer to chat about the role confidentially before submitting a CV, please get in touch via the contact details provided.