Attorney - Corporate Functions, Employment & Benefits

Bank of America; Greater London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

Pension plan

Parental leave

Wellbeing benefits

Job summary

Bank of America is seeking an in‑house Employment lawyer to provide commercial, risk‑aware legal advice to HR in the EMEA region from our London office. The role requires strong PQE and expertise in employment law for international banking and finance clients.

You will partner with HR, risk and external counsel, managing multi‑jurisdictional matters while delivering training and strategic legal support to the business.

Qualifications

• In-house employment lawyer with experience of employment laws and regulations in England and across the EMEA region.
• Law degree required.
• Strong post qualification experience.
• Fluent spoken and written English required.
• Large law firm training and/or in-house Legal department experience in the area of employment law in the UK and EMEA region, preferably in international banking and finance (or with clients in that area).
• Experience in advising on HR regulatory issues.
• Ability to manage responsibilities across multiple jurisdictions and time zones and manage a high volume of work and clients in a fast‑paced environment.
• Ability to communicate clearly and persuasively, both verbally and in writing, and to adapt to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to be successful in a global, matrixed organisation.
• Well-grounded in principles of common law, employment law and contract law.

Responsibilities

• Provide first-class, commercial and risk‑appropriate legal advice to HR in EMEA.
• Day‑to‑day interaction with HR generalists and country HR partners in different EMEA jurisdictions.
• Liaise with control functions as well as internal and external lawyers.
• Build relationships with HR and LOB clients to identify practical legal solutions and make recommendations.
• Advise on changes in employment law and assist with rollout and implementation.
• Engage and manage outside counsel cost efficiently.
• Provide general legal support to the business, including regulatory advice and HR data privacy matters.
• Support HR elements of M&A, outsourcing and other transactional projects.

Skills

In-house employment

Employment law

Fluent English

Education

Law degree

Tools

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Attorney - Corporate Functions, Employment & Benefits
Location: London
Corporate Title: Vice President or Senior Vice President & Assistant General Counsel

Company Overview

At Bank of America, we are guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better through the power of every connection. Responsible Growth is how we run our company and how we deliver for our clients, teammates, communities, and shareholders every day. One of the keys to driving Responsible Growth is being a great place to work for our teammates around the world. We’re devoted to being a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone. We hire individuals with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences and invest heavily in our teammates and their families by offering competitive benefits to support their physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Bank of America believes both in the importance of working together and offering flexibility to our employees. We use a multi-faceted approach for flexibility, depending on the various roles in our organization. Working at Bank of America will give you a great career with opportunities to learn, grow and make an impact, along with the power to make a difference. Join us!

Location Overview

Our London office is based just a stone’s throw from the magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral on bustling King Edward Street. Here you’ll find modern workspaces and a state-of-the-art auditorium space. In addition, we’re proud to host an onsite restaurant that shares our commitment to sustainability by providing delicious seasonal menus which have been created with the planet in mind. Make sure to take time for yourself and head up to our rooftop terrace and take in the spectacular views across London. Finally, your physical wellness is well‑catered for with our onsite gym facilities and medical centre.

Responsibilities

The primary responsibility of this role is to provide first class, commercial and risk‑appropriate legal advice to HR in EMEA. This lawyer will have day to day interaction with the HR generalists and country HR partners in the different EMEA jurisdictions. The role requires close liaison with other control functions as well as internal and external lawyers. The role will build a strong relationship with HR and LOB clients and must have the ability to identify practical legal solutions and make recommendations.

It will involve:

• Managing and advising on the legal/reputational and regulatory risks arising at all stages of the employment cycle in accordance with the bank's risk framework and culture.
• Advising on relevant legal and regulatory changes and assisting with the roll‑out and implementation of those changes.
• Acting as strategic partner to the business, assisting the business to weigh the risk/reward balance whilst acting responsibly.
• Managing queries from HR and the business, including Compliance, Risk and Audit on a range of issues.
• Working closely with the EMEA HR Legal team, together with other lawyers including regulatory lawyers.
• Providing regular training to HR on employment law matters, frequently asked questions and HR legal documents.
• Engaging and managing outside counsel in a cost‑efficient manner.
• Providing general legal support to the business, including the procurement of appropriate regulatory advice.
• Providing advice in respect of the HR aspects of data privacy issues.
• Advising on the HR elements of M&A activity, outsourcing and other transactional projects.

What we are looking for

• In-house employment lawyer with experience of employment laws and regulations in England and across the EMEA region.
• Law degree required.
• Strong post qualification experience.
• Fluent spoken and written English required.
• Large law firm training and/or in-house Legal department experience in the area of employment law in the UK and EMEA region, preferably in international banking and finance (or with clients in that area).
• Experience in advising on HR regulatory issues.
• Ability to manage responsibilities across multiple jurisdictions and time zones and manage a high volume of work and clients in a fast‑paced environment.
• Ability to communicate clearly and persuasively, both verbally and in writing, and to adapt to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to be successful in a global, matrixed organisation.
• Well‑grounded in principles of common law, employment law and contract law.
• Proficient in Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Benefits of working at Bank of America

• UK At Bank of America, we strive to prioritise employees’ health and wellbeing – it’s what makes us a Great Place to Work.
• Private healthcare for you and your family plus an annual health screen to help you manage your physical wellness with the option to purchase a screen for your partner.
• Competitive pension plan, life assurance and group income protection cover if you become unable to work as a result of a disability or health reasons.
• We offer 26‑weeks paid maternity leave, 16‑weeks paid paternity leave and inclusive family leave arrangements for working parents and carers including 20 days of back‑up childcare including access to school holiday clubs and 20 days of back‑up adult care per annum.
• The ability to change your core benefits as well as the option of selecting a variety of flexible benefits to suit your personal circumstances including access to a wellbeing account, travel insurance, critical illness, cycle to work etc.
• Use of a flex fund to use towards benefits.
• Access to an emotional wellbeing helpline, and virtual GP services.
• Access to the Peppy App which provides 1:1 support, consultations and resources relating to men’s health, women’s health, fertility, menopause and pregnancy & parenthood.
• Access to a range of gyms, exercise classes and wellbeing Apps through Wellhub, including Headspace and Calm.
• Ability to donate to charities of your choice directly through payroll and the bank will match your contribution.
• Opportunity to give back to your community, develop new skills and work with new groups of people by volunteering in your local area.
• Good conduct and sound judgment is crucial to our long term success. It’s important that all employees in the organisation understand the expected standards of conduct and how we manage conduct risk. Individual accountability and an ownership mind‑set are the cornerstones of our Code of Conduct and are at the heart of managing risk well.

We are an equal opportunities employer and ensure that no applicant is subject to less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, gender identity or gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, race, religious or similar philosophical belief, political opinion, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, socio‑economic background, responsibility for dependants or physical or mental disability. The Bank selects candidates for interview based on their skills, qualifications and experience.

We strive to ensure that our recruitment processes are accessible for all candidates and encourage any candidates to tell us about any adjustment requirements.

At Bank of America, we are guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better through the power of every connection. Responsible Growth is how we run our company and how we deliver for our clients, teammates, communities and shareholders every day. One of the keys to driving Responsible Growth is being a great place to work for our teammates around the world. We’re devoted to being a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone. We hire individuals with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences and invest heavily in our teammates and their families by offering competitive benefits to support their physical, emotional, and financial well‑being. Bank of America believes both in the importance of working together and offering flexibility to our employees. We use a multi‑faceted approach for flexibility, depending on the various roles in our organization. Working at Bank of America will give you a great career with opportunities to learn, grow and make an impact, along with the power to make a difference. Join us!

Partnering Locally

Learn about some of the ways Bank of America is making a difference in the communities we serve.

Global Impact

Learn about the six areas that guide Bank of America’s efforts to help make financial lives better for customers, clients, communities and our teammates.

Opportunity and Inclusion

Each employee brings unique skills, background and opinions. We see opportunity and inclusion as our platform for innovation and a key component in our success.

Our Values

Learn about our four values that represent what we believe.