Employment Legal Counsel

TN United Kingdom; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is looking for an experienced Employment Legal Counsel to join their dynamic Legal team. This pivotal role involves providing strategic legal advice on a wide range of UK and international employment law matters, both contentious and non-contentious. You will collaborate closely with HR and operational leaders to manage employment risks and support the company's growth across global markets. If you are a qualified solicitor with a strong background in employment law and a collaborative mindset, this is a fantastic opportunity to make a significant impact in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 6+ years PQE in UK employment law with strong technical grounding.
• Experience in both contentious and non-contentious employment matters.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on UK employment law and support international matters.
• Partner with HR to resolve employee relations issues and implement policies.

Skills

UK Employment Law

Contentious Employment Matters

Non-Contentious Employment Matters

Employee Relations

International Employment Law

Mergers and Acquisitions

Communication Skills

Collaboration

Education

Qualified Solicitor

Training Contract at Nationally Recognised Law Firm

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and pragmatic Employment Legal Counsel to join our Legal team. This is a key role supporting the business on a wide range of UK and international employment law matters, both contentious and non-contentious. You will work closely with HR, operational leaders, and senior stakeholders to provide strategic legal advice, manage employment risk, and support the continued growth of our business across global markets.

Key Responsibilities

1. Provide clear, pragmatic, and commercially focused legal advice on all aspects of UK employment law, and support international employment law matters with the assistance of local counsel where needed.
2. Partner with HR and operational teams to resolve day-to-day employee relations matters, including disciplinaries, grievances, investigations, and performance issues.
3. Work closely with the People Director and senior leadership to develop, review, and implement HR policies and procedures in the UK and internationally.
4. Build and maintain strong relationships with key internal stakeholders across departments to deliver proactive and solutions-oriented employment legal support.
5. Lead or support on employment law aspects of organisational change, including restructures, consultations, TUPE transfers (UK and Europe), and related employment documentation.
6. Provide training and practical guidance to HR business partners and people managers on employment law topics and best practices.
7. Advise on restrictive covenants, employment agreements, handbooks, settlement agreements, whistleblowing, reward structures, and employee rights.
8. Monitor and assess the impact of legislative and regulatory changes relevant to employment law and keep the business informed and compliant (e.g., Employment Rights Bill).
9. Support the legal and HR teams in managing employment litigation, liaising with external counsel as needed.
10. Provide legal support during mergers and acquisitions, including employment due diligence and integration planning.
11. Collaborate with HR and external advisors to establish compliant employment documentation in new global territories as the business expands.
12. Contribute to effective external counsel management, helping to control legal spend and ensure value for the business.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with at least 6 years of post-qualification experience (PQE) in UK employment law.
• Must have completed a training contract at a nationally recognised law firm and gained strong technical grounding in employment matters.
• Some in-house legal experience is essential, either through a secondment or permanent role, with proven ability to deliver commercially focused advice in a business environment.
• Strong experience advising on both contentious and non-contentious employment matters, including handling complex employee relations issues.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, agile environment and providing pragmatic advice to non-legal stakeholders.
• A collaborative mindset and excellent communication skills, with a proactive approach to building relationships across the business.
• Willingness to learn and develop expertise in international employment law and apply it in a practical, business-oriented way.
• Prior experience in TUPE, M&A, and supporting global HR initiatives is a strong advantage.