Employment Lawyer (Legal Adviser)

Hampshire County Council; Winchester; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading local authority is seeking an Employment Lawyer to join their legal team in Winchester. The role involves advising on a variety of employment law matters, providing clear legal advice, and representing clients in tribunal cases. The ideal candidate will be a qualified Solicitor or Barrister with strong legal skills and effective communication abilities. This position offers a hybrid work model with flexible hours and a comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

Access to Local Government Pension Scheme

25 or 28 days annual leave

Electric plug-in hybrid car Salary Sacrifice Scheme

Interest-free travel loans

Employee Support Services

Qualifications

• Must hold a practising certificate for England & Wales.
• Sound legal skills and judgment are essential.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Advise on disciplinary and grievance procedures.
• Provide legal advice on employment tribunal matters.
• Conduct legal research and deliver training.

Skills

Legal skills

Client relationship management

Communication skills

Pragmatic solution orientation

Education

Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Legal Executive

Job description

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Employment Lawyer (Legal Adviser)

Job Reference: HCC622302
Salary Range: £40,643 - £45,077 per annum, plus Market Supplement of £1,500 per annum
Work Location: Elizabeth II Court, Winchester (Hybrid Working)
Hours per week: 37 (part-time hours will be considered)
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 15 October 2025

The Role:

Join our friendly and supportive Lexcel accredited legal department, passionate about delivering the best for Hampshire and making a real difference to the community!

Hampshire County Council is recognised nationally as one of the highest performing local authorities in the UK. Our large legal service supports all Hampshire County Council directorates and a wide range of other public service organisations. Working on matters that are as challenging as they are rewarding, you will advise on a range of interesting, varied, meaningful, high profile and complex projects at the very forefront of public interest, delivering improvements to people's lives.

The position offers the unique level of support that comes with working within our well-respected team and Hampshire County Council generally. You will be able to develop your legal skills through the practical application of your legal knowledge and gain valuable legal experience with involvement in a wide range of contentious and non-contentious employment law matters.

What you’ll do:

You will take responsibility for a varied caseload and provide support to more senior fee-earners. Typical matters include advice on disciplinary and grievance procedures, capability and sickness absence, TUPE, redundancy, discrimination, settlements and dismissal. You will provide clear, timely and pragmatic legal advice and representation to the County Council’s directorates, and to external public sector clients, undertake legal research and deliver training. You will also hold a caseload of employment tribunal matters.

What we’re looking for:

We are looking for an in-house Legal Adviser to join our Employment Law Team. You must be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Legal Executive who is eligible to hold a practising certificate for England & Wales. You will be successful in the role if you are able to demonstrate sound legal skills and judgment, a pragmatic solution focused approach, strong client relationship and communication skills, ability to work both with colleagues and also on your own initiative and within a strong team with a collaborative approach, resilience and motivation and ability to prioritise effectively to meet deadlines. This role would be well suited to a newly qualified legal adviser or someone wishing to change specialism.

You may be required to visit other locations within Hampshire, and therefore need to have the ability to travel, as necessary. Display screen equipment/laptop will be supplied.

Having successfully adopted online and hybrid working, we can consider candidates from out of the area, working partially remotely and from our offices in Winchester. There's a minimum requirement to be office based one day per week and you'll need to attend meetings in person when required.

As a forward-looking local authority, our commitment to delivering an exceptional quality of life to our Hampshire residents also extends to our employees. It is important to us that our staff feel supported in their work. We offer an improved work-life balance through flexible working and an excellent benefits package including:

• Access to Local Government Pension Scheme
• 25 or 28 days annual leave entitlement (dependent on Local Authority service)
• Electric plug-in hybrid car Salary Sacrifice Scheme
• Interest free travel loans and discounts
• Employee Support Services
• Family-friendly policies
• Access to online professional legal research resources.

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:

Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.

In order to combat discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied which could have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity, unless a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) applies.

We are a Disability Confident Employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.