Employment Senior Associate

Shoosmiths LLP; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Shoosmiths LLP is seeking a Senior Associate in its national employment team to deliver pragmatic and timely legal advice to a distinguished client base across higher education, logistics, technology, and financial services.

The role encompasses contentious and non-contentious matters with opportunities to lead on disciplinary, grievance, discrimination, and whistleblowing claims while participating in business development and client relationship activity.

Qualifications

• 5+ years PQE in employment law, with strong experience across contentious and non-contentious matters.
• Proactive, client-focused, and able to manage matters from start to finish.

Responsibilities

• Advise on a range of employment law issues for a diverse client base.
• Lead matters from inception to resolution across contentious and non-contentious work.
• Support colleagues and contribute to the team's growth and business development.

Skills

PQE 5+ years

Employment law

Disciplinary & grievances

Job description

As a Senior Associate in our national employment team, you will become a central figure in a high-performing, ambitious group known for delivering pragmatic and timely legal advice to a distinguished client base.

You will work across a diverse portfolio, including higher education, logistics, mobility, technology, retail, and financial services, immersing yourself in both contentious and non-contentious matters including Employment Tribunal cases, corporate support and general advisory work. This role offers a varied caseload with opportunities for ongoing development.

From your first day, you’ll be encouraged to actively participate in, and even take ownership of, client and business development initiatives. This is your platform to assume real responsibility, work alongside high-calibre professionals, and contribute to a team determined to continue its impressive growth trajectory.

The team

Our national employment team is part of our People and Reward team, a wider national network of employment, immigration and pension lawyers, which will give you great scope to develop your network and range of skills. It is widely respected for providing an excellent service, providing pragmatic and timely legal advice to its highly regarded client base. The team primarily works with employer clients on a wide mix of both contentious and non-contentious matters.

Skills and qualifications

Our ideal candidate will have at least 5 years’ PQE in employment law, with strong experience across both contentious and non-contentious matters. You will be proactive, client-focused, and confident managing matters from start to finish. Working closely with our local and national team, you will support a wide range of work, including disciplinary and grievance issues, discrimination and whistleblowing claims, policy and contract advice, restructures, redundancies, and employment elements of corporate transactions. You’ll also play an active role in supporting colleagues and contributing to the team’s growth.

As a people centric business, we invest heavily in developing our people by providing an innovative, flexible and supportive environment.

The firm

Shoosmiths is the law firm clients choose for excellent service, incisive thinking and above all for our ability to focus on what matters. From offices across the UK and Brussels, we support some of the world’s most exciting and ambitious businesses; amazing clients making an impact. We empower our people to be their authentic selves and deliver together in supportive teams committed to excellence and innovation. The first top 50 law firm to achieve ‘Platinum Standard’ Investors in People, our values and culture are not just words on our website but are the heartbeat of the firm.

We have an outstanding benefits package to complement our competitive remuneration system. In addition to the competitive salaries, great working environment and high-quality work, we believe that all staff should be rewarded for their commitment to the continued success of the firm through a comprehensive and flexible range of benefits.

Our approach to our people is underpinned by our approach to diversity, inclusion and well-being. Our ambition is to build a diverse and ambitious workforce that reflects all backgrounds and talents, and a workplace that is supportive and inclusive, recognises and nurtures talent, and has a strong sense of community between colleagues.

This means that everyone who either applies to or works for the firm is treated equally, whatever their gender, age, ethnic origin, nationality, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.