Associate

HCR Law; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

HCR Law's Education & Charities Team is recruiting an Employment Associate to support and develop our education sector practice. You will advise on a full range of employment and HR issues for schools, academies, colleges and universities, working closely with in-house teams to provide pragmatic, commercially focused solutions.

You will join a collaborative team, handling day-to-day advisory work, complex staffing matters, safeguarding employment issues, senior appointments and governance

Qualifications

• 3+ years’ PQE in employment law.
• Experience advising education clients or a education sector focus would be advantageous.
• Strong advisory and drafting skills, with a practical, solutions-focused approach.

Responsibilities

• Day-to-day employment and HR advisory work.
• Complex staffing issues, disciplinary and grievance matters.
• Safeguarding-related employment issues.
• Senior appointments, exits and restructures.
• Employment aspects of academy conversions, mergers and governance changes.
• Drafting and reviewing contracts, policies and staff handbooks.
• Providing pragmatic, commercial and solutions-focused advice.

Skills

Employment law

Education sector experience

Client advisory

Job description

• Due to continued growth, our Education & Charities Team is looking to recruit an Employment Associate to support and further develop our highly regarded education sector practice.

About The Role

Employment law in education is fast-moving, complex and people-focused. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with independent schools, academies, maintained schools, higher and further education colleges and universities , advising on the full range of employment and HR issues.

You will work collaboratively with colleagues across the Education & Charities Team, becoming a trusted adviser to clients by truly understanding how their organisations operate, their approach to risk, and the practical realities of running an educational establishment.

About Our Education Practice

As a firm, we act for over 300 educational institutions. We are also trusted advisers to national education associations and have played a key role in shaping sector-wide guidance, including developing a national Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and producing template policies and contracts for schools.

Our lawyers are passionate about education and understand the interplay between education law, employment law and best practice. We work collaboratively across disciplines to deliver joined-up, commercially focused advice.

The work

You will advise on a broad range of employment matters for education clients, including:

• Day-to-day employment and HR advisory work,


• Complex staffing issues, disciplinary and grievance matters,


• Safeguarding-related employment issues,


• Senior appointments, exits and restructures,


• Employment aspects of academy conversions, mergers and governance changes,


• Drafting and reviewing contracts, policies and staff handbooks,


• Providing pragmatic, commercial and solutions-focused advice.

You will work closely with governors, heads, bursars, COOs and senior leadership teams, acting as an extension of your client’s in-house teams. Our education clients value clarity, confidence and practical guidance and this role is ideal for someone who enjoys building long-term client relationships and advising in a sector with real social impact.

Why join our Education Team?

• High-quality, varied work with nationally recognised education clients,


• A genuinely collaborative and supportive Employment team,


• Clear opportunities for progression and specialism,


• The chance to build a strong personal profile within the education sector,


• A people-focused culture that values approachability as much as technical excellence

About You

You Will Ideally Have

• 3+ years’ PQE in employment law,


• Experience advising education clients or a