Associate (NQ) - Employment

Mishcon de Reya LLP; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Mishcon de Reya LLP’s Employment team handles complex and high-stakes matters for employers and senior executives, across both contentious and non-contentious work. The firm regularly tackles cases involving diversity, gender pay, employment status, and privacy issues.

The successful candidate will work with Partners and Associates across sectors such as financial services, fashion, luxury, and media, gaining exposure to litigation and advisory work while maintaining strong client relationships.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6–12 months seat in employment law.
• Trained at a leading practice with recognition in legal directories for employment law.
• Strong academic record and high attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Advise employers and employees on contentious and non-contentious employment law matters.
• Handle discrimination, restrictive covenants, TUPE, unfair dismissal, redundancies, data protection issues.
• Litigate in Employment Tribunal, High Court and appellate courts when required.
• Maintain high levels of client contact and manage workload with Partners and Associates.

Skills

Employment law experience

Client relationship skills

Litigation experience

Academic excellence

Attention to detail

Drafting skills

Independent worker

Team collaboration

Education

Qualified solicitor

UK Bar or equivalent

Tools

AI tools

Legal research databases

Job description

The Department

The Employment team at Mishcon de Reya works across complex, high profile and high stake situations, acting at the highest level for both employers and senior executives.

The Department

The Employment team at Mishcon de Reya works across complex, high profile and high stake situations, acting at the highest level for both employers and senior executives.

Acting at the forefront of employment law, we are regularly instructed on cases that raise the most important legal questions of the day, from diversity and gender pay, to employment status and the implications of the 'gig' economy, to the interplay between data, transparency and privacy. The team is renowned for its strategic approach and litigation expertise, regularly appearing in the Employment Appeal Tribunal, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Our work covers the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious employment law, and we work seamlessly with our dedicated incentives and business immigration teams. While our clients span all sectors, we have a particular emphasis on financial services, fashion and retail, and the luxury and media sectors and have significant experience dealing with the complexities of LLPs, private equity and venture capital firms.

Duties And Responsibilities

The role will involve advising a variety of clients (employers and employees) on both contentious and noncontentious employment law, including: discrimination; restrictive covenants; HR advisory; TUPE; unfair dismissal; redundancies; settlement agreements; data theft, the misappropriation of confidential information, the employment aspects of corporate transactions and other contractual issues. Alongside day-to-day advisory work, there will be the opportunity to advise on litigious matters in the Employment Tribunal, High Court and appellate courts.

Clients include employers and employees from a range of sectors including: financial services, fashion, luxury goods, retail, recruitment, media, sport and life sciences.

The successful candidate can expect to work across the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious employment law and as such, will have exposure to working with most, if not all, Partners and Associates within the team. The successful candidate will also maintain high levels of client contact and should possess strong experience in client contact with both individuals and businesses.

We're looking for candidates who want to carve out a fantastic and varied career for themselves as part of our supportive and forward-thinking team.

Finally, we expect an unwavering commitment to our Core Values. Our values make us what we are. They are at the heart of everything we do at Mishcon.

• At least a 6-month seat undertaken in employment law.
• Trained at a leading practice, rated by the legal directories for employment law.
• Strong academic record.
• Solid transactional, advisory and litigation experience desirable.
• Experience of representing both corporates and individuals desirable.
• Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.
• Excellent writing skills, with strong drafting abilities.
• Ability to effectively manage own workload, undertaking a truly client facing role.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people at all levels, both internally and with clients.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Personable and confident, able to build relationships with colleagues, clients and external organisations.
• Resilient and calm under pressure.
• Adaptable and flexible approach.
• Pro‑active and takes initiative.
• Use knowledge, AI and other technology to develop business opportunities, add value to key client relationships, and bring efficiencies to client service delivery.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

About Mishcon De Reya LLP

Mishcon de Reya is an independent law firm, which now employs over 1400 people with more than 650 lawyers offering a wide range of legal services to companies and individuals. The firm has grown rapidly in recent years, showing more than 40% revenue growth in the past five years alone. With presence in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Hong Kong and UAE, the firm services an international community of clients and provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply. The work the firm undertakes is cross-border, multi-jurisdictional and complex, centred around three increasingly entwined and connected sectors: the Innovation Economy, Private Wealth and Capital, and Real Estate. The firm is known as a disputes powerhouse with a formidable capacity firmwide for dispute resolution. We strive to create a fully diverse and inclusive workplace where all our people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We are proud of our agile working culture and are always happy to talk flexible working.