Employment Senior Associate

JMC Legal Recruitment; Greater London; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

JMC Legal Recruitment is seeking an Employment Senior Associate in the City of London. The role offers high-quality employment work, strong client relationships and a clear pathway towards partnership.

The successful candidate will advise businesses and senior executives on complex matters, spanning contentious and non-contentious work, with exposure to strategic issues and leadership development. You will join an established team led by a respected partner, with opportunities to take ownership,

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor in England and Wales with 6+ years' PQE in Employment law.
• Experience advising businesses and senior executives on employment matters.
• Strong technical ability and commercial judgement.
• Excellent communication and client relationship management skills.
• Ambition and commercial mindset with interest in leadership progression.
• Willingness to develop personal practice and contribute to BD.

Responsibilities

• Advise businesses and senior executives on complex employment matters (contentious and non-contentious).
• Handle board-level disputes, senior exits, restrictive covenants and workplace investigations.
• Provide pragmatic advice reflecting legal obligations and business objectives.
• Develop and maintain client relationships and contribute to business development.
• Take ownership of matters and work with leadership to shape the practice.
• Support growth of the Employment team and path to leadership.

Skills

Employment law

Client relationship management

Business development

Commercial judgement

Communication

Leadership mindset

Job description

Employment Senior Associate (6+ PQE) | City of London | Leading Legal 500 | Chambers Ranked Firm

Are you an experienced Employment Solicitor looking to take the next step in your career with a highly regarded City firm offering high-quality work, strong client relationships and a clear pathway towards Partnership?

A renowned independent law firm with an established Employment practice is seeking an ambitious Senior Associate (6+ PQE) to support the continued growth of its team. This is an excellent opportunity to work alongside a highly regarded practice leader, advise businesses and senior executives on complex employment matters, and play a meaningful role in shaping the future of the department.

The Firm:

A highly regarded Legal 500 and Chambers-ranked independent law firm based in the heart of London, with an outstanding reputation across Private Client and Wealth Management, Property and Real Estate, Corporate and Commercial, and Litigation and Dispute Resolution.

The firm combines the technical excellence and quality of work associated with a leading City practice with the personable, tailored service of a boutique. Lawyers benefit from direct partner access, meaningful client contact and the opportunity to take ownership of their work, develop commercial awareness and build lasting client relationships.

Known for its supportive and collaborative culture, the firm actively encourages lawyers to develop their own profiles, contribute to business development and build their practices, with a genuine commitment to long-term career progression.

The Employment team is led by a highly regarded partner with an established reputation in both the Legal 500 and Chambers, including international recognition. Having spent over 30 years with the firm, the team leader has played a significant role in developing the practice and its reputation.

The team advises businesses and senior executives across a broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters, combining strong technical expertise with commercially focused, practical advice.

The Role:

This is an excellent opportunity for an Employment Senior Associate (6+ PQE) to join an established and highly regarded team, with genuine scope to progress towards Legal Director and ultimately Partnership.

You will advise a varied client base of businesses, employers and senior executives on complex employment matters, spanning both contentious and non-contentious work. The role offers exposure to strategic employment issues, senior-level disputes and sensitive workplace matters, alongside opportunities to develop client relationships and contribute to the continued growth of the practice.

Your work will include advising on board-level disputes, senior executive exits, restrictive covenants, workplace investigations, discrimination, whistleblowing, restructuring and employment issues arising from corporate transactions. You will support clients through sensitive and commercially significant situations, providing clear, pragmatic advice that reflects both their legal obligations and wider business objectives.

You will have the opportunity to take ownership of matters, strengthen existing client relationships and work closely with the team leader on complex instructions. The firm is particularly interested in solicitors who have experience advising on employment-related issues affecting both businesses and senior executives.

Alongside your fee-earning responsibilities, you will be encouraged to develop your own client following, build your market profile and contribute to business development initiatives. This is a role for someone who wants to play an active part in the future direction of a practice, rather than simply manage an existing caseload.

With a clear progression pathway and the support of an experienced team leader, this opportunity offers the chance to develop towards a senior leadership position within a respected independent City firm.

Requirements

• Qualified Solicitor in England and Wales with 6+ years' PQE and strong experience in Employment law.
• Experience advising on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters.
• Experience advising businesses and senior executives on employment-related issues.
• Strong technical ability, sound commercial judgement and a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach.
• Excellent communication and client relationship management skills, with the confidence to advise on sensitive and complex matters.
• A genuine interest in business development, developing client relationships and building a personal practice.
• Ambitious and commercially minded, with an interest in progressing towards a senior leadership role.

This is an excellent opportunity for an Employment Senior Associate to join a highly regarded independent City firm, offering high-quality work, established leadership and a genuine opportunity to progress towards Partnership whilst helping to shape the future of the practice.