Employment Specialist Paralegal

Government Legal Department.; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental legal agency in Manchester seeks an Employment Specialist Paralegal to manage litigation cases and provide expert legal advice. The ideal candidate will have experience in employment law and tribunal claims, as well as strong collaborative skills. This position supports a team dedicated to public sector law and offers a nurturing environment with benefits such as flexible working arrangements and a civil service pension.

Benefits

Civil service pension

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Experience conducting litigation, particularly in Employment Tribunals.
• Demonstrable knowledge of employment law.
• Strong ability to manage a quality service and work collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Manage the lifecycle of Employment Tribunal claims and ensure cases are fully prepared.
• Provide clear and timely legal advice to clients.
• Contribute to client training and diversity activities.

Skills

Employment law knowledge

Litigation experience

Attention to detail

Job description

Employment Specialist Paralegal

Manchester

£34,647

From healthcare to artificial intelligence, energy to national security, we provide legal advice to government departments on nation‑changing subjects. Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single‑minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law.

The Employment Directorate is part of GLD’s Employment with Economic Recovery and UK Governance division (EERUG) and provides employment advice and litigation services to all GLD clients, supporting a workforce of over 450,000 and underpinning the delivery of a vast range of public services.

Our work covers everything from Employment Tribunal claims and the conduct of complex multi‑party litigation to advising on staff policies and terms and conditions, collective bargaining and departmental re‑organisations. We handle litigation up to the Supreme Court.

Your role

As an employment specialist paralegal, you’ll be responsible for the end‑to‑end running of litigation cases. With lawyers within the Employment Directorate providing on‑hand support, especially for more complex litigation.

You’ll manage the full lifecycle of Employment Tribunal claims: taking initial instructions; drafting responses; undertaking disclosure; redaction exercises; drafting witness statement; and ensuring that cases are fully prepared for hearing including instructing suitable counsel and attending hearings where required. To be a success, you’ll focus on building effective working relationships with clients and other stakeholders.

You’ll research and apply employment law to prepare cases and providing clear, concise, high quality and timely legal advice to clients. You’ll explain the risk profile of cases and the strategy for management of those cases, including drafting letters on merits.

As an active member of your team, you’ll contribute to client training, diversity and inclusion activities, knowledge management and the supervision of less experienced members of staff.

About you

You’re comfortable in a legal environment. Experienced at employment law and conducting litigation, in particular in the Employment Tribunals. We’ll be interested in your demonstrable knowledge of employment law, including how Employment Tribunal (ET) or other litigation are run in practice. This has given you reliable legal judgment and an appreciation of legal risk. Plus, your attention to detail is excellent. We’ll also ask that you demonstrate the following behaviours of the Success Profiles:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing (assessed throughout interview & written assessment)

Benefits

GLD encourages its people to develop their skills in a nurturing environment. Other benefits include access to a valuable civil service pension and flexible working arrangements.

Much more than the law

Our vision is to be an outstanding legal organisation and a brilliant place to work where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. This is an exciting time for GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.

Closing date for applications: Noon 12th January 2026