Associate - Employment

Bird & Bird; Arkley; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent international law firm in London is seeking an experienced Associate for its Employment team. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with six Partners on high-profile employment litigation and advisory matters. Candidates should possess 4-8 years of post-qualification experience and a strong track record in handling complex employment issues. The position emphasizes client relationship building, strategy, and case management, providing substantial exposure to the firm's prestigious clients. High motivation to work in a diverse and international environment is necessary.

Qualifications

• Four to eight years of Post Qualification Experience.
• Experience of handling complex employment matters.
• Desire to work for a truly international firm.

Responsibilities

• Handle sophisticated Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation.
• Coordinate complex cross-border projects and large-scale restructurings.
• Build and nurture key client relationships.

Skills

Flexibility in supporting cases

Proven negotiation skills

Excellent technical legal knowledge

Clear, precise practical advice

Initiative and confidence

Ability to manage complex matters

Client handling skills

Education

Excellent academic achievement

Solid legal training in a City firm environment

Job description

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Associate to join our award‑winning Employment team in London. This is a rare opportunity to work directly with all six Partners in the London group on high‑profile, intellectually stimulating matters spanning employment litigation and strategic advisory work. The role offers exceptional exposure to market‑leading clients and career‑enhancing work across the full range of Bird & Bird’s sectors, that will significantly advance your professional development.

The team advises prestigious clients across both private and public sectors on their most complex and sensitive employment matters, delivering strategic counsel on business‑critical issues including high‑value cross‑border projects, executive‑level appointments and separations, high‑stakes litigation in the Employment Tribunals and High Court, complex workforce restructuring, transformative outsourcing arrangements, innovative benefits and incentives programmes, trade secret protection, and equality and diversity initiatives. Our London team comprises six highly‑regarded Partners supported by 14 exceptional lawyers, sitting within an international employment group of over 150 lawyers spanning EMEA and APAC.

Responsibilities

In this role you will work alongside our Partners on high‑profile employment matters. You will handle sophisticated Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation, provide strategic advice on business‑critical employment issues, and take a leading role in coordinating complex cross‑border projects including large‑scale restructurings and multinational compliance initiatives. Whilst full support and supervision is provided, senior lawyers are given the independence to manage their own caseload, and this position offers exceptional client exposure with opportunities to build and nurture key client relationships.

The main responsibilities of this role are outlined above; however, this description is not exhaustive, and the job holder may be required to undertake additional duties from time to time to ensure the smooth running of the department. The role may require some working outside our normal working hours of 9:30am–5:30pm.

Qualifications

• Four to eight years of Post Qualification Experience
• Excellent academic achievement.
• Solid legal training in a City firm environment.
• Experience of handling complex employment matters gained within a comparable environment and at an appropriate level. Experience of restrictive covenant injunctions and a range of employee competition and business protection issues would be helpful.
• Experience of general employment advisory work, employment litigation and transactional matters.
• A desire to be working for a truly international firm.
• A clear understanding of the operation and structure of a commercial law firm.

What Sets Our Top Performers Apart

• Flexibility, supporting cases across a broad range of Employment issues.
• The ability to manage aspects of complex matters and clients, with proven negotiation skills.
• Excellent technical legal knowledge and drafting skills.
• The ability to provide clear, precise, practical advice.
• The ability to use initiative and a confidence built upon solid success and achievements.
• The ability to liaise effectively with other fee earners from within the group, but also to liaise and coordinate with fee earners from other relevant disciplines and jurisdictions as required.
• Delegation and supervisory skills.
• Being keen to work in a challenging, team‑based environment.
• The willingness and ability to support business development activity, creating and maintaining strong client relationships and identifying new business opportunities with new and existing clients.
• A commitment to regularly updating their own technical expertise and to achieve continuous improvement and development.
• The ability to contribute to the general upkeep and development of the group (whether that be training, precedents, or know-how generally).
• Excellent communication and client handling skills.

EEO & Diversity

As a disability and neurodiversity inclusive employer we want to ensure that you have a barrier‑free recruitment experience at Bird & Bird. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please provide details to your recruitment contact who will be in touch to discuss any details provided and understand more about your individual adjustment needs.