Senior Associate - Employment

JMC Legal Recruitment; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Excellent Benefits

Hybrid working

Work-life balance

Job summary

JMC Legal Recruitment seeks a Senior Associate in Employment (5-8 PQE) to join a Tier 1 ranked practice in Belfast. You will handle high-profile workplace matters for multinational clients and fast-growth businesses with cross-border exposure.

You will manage your own caseload, mentor junior lawyers, and work with leading Partners on strategic mandates while contributing to business development. The role offers a collaborative culture and hybrid working.

Qualifications

• UK-qualified Solicitor with 5–8 PQE in Employment law.
• Broad experience across advisory and contentious matters.
• Confident managing complex matters and leading client relationships.
• Experience supervising or mentoring junior team members.
• Commercially minded with a proactive, solutions-focused approach.
• Strong communication, drafting and analytical skills.
• Interest in business development and contributing to team growth.

Responsibilities

• Advising employer clients on the full spectrum of employment law, both contentious and non-contentious.
• Leading on Employment Tribunal litigation, including discrimination, whistleblowing and high-value claims.
• Handling High Court matters, including restrictive covenant and team move disputes.
• Advising on TUPE, restructures, redundancies and large-scale workforce projects.
• Supporting on cross-border and multi-jurisdictional mandates.
• Acting as a key contact for clients, delivering commercial, solutions-led advice.
• Supervising and mentoring junior lawyers within the team.
• Contributing to business development and client growth initiatives.

Skills

Communication

Drafting

Analytical skills

Mentoring

Commercial awareness

Education

UK solicitor qualification

Job description

Senior Associate - Employment (5-8 PQE)

Location: Belfast

Firm: Tier 1, Market-Leading Employment Practice

Salary:

Highly Competitive + Bonus + Excellent Benefits

The Role & The Opportunity

This is a rare opportunity for a Senior Associate to join a Tier 1 ranked Employment practice in the heart of Belfast, known for its depth of expertise, global reach and high-profile client base. Acting for multinational corporates, household names and fast-growth businesses, the team is trusted on some of the most complex and business-critical workplace matters in the market.

You'll step into a role that offers both high-calibre work and real influence. Alongside managing your own caseload, you'll work closely with Hall of Fame and other L500 recognised Partners on strategic mandates, often with a cross-border element, while also playing a visible role in client relationships and the continued growth of the practice.

The culture is a genuine differentiator and renowned across their offices in the UK and the rest of the world. This is a firm where collaboration, approachability and high performance coexist and where Senior Associates are given the platform, trust and autonomy to develop their profile, deepen client relationships and progress towards Partnership.

The Work

• Advising employer clients on the full spectrum of employment law, both contentious and non-contentious
• Leading on Employment Tribunal litigation, including discrimination, whistleblowing and high-value claims
• Handling High Court matters, including restrictive covenant and team move disputes
• Advising on TUPE, restructures, redundancies and large-scale workforce projects
• Supporting on cross-border and multi-jurisdictional mandates
• Acting as a key contact for clients, delivering commercial, solutions-led advice
• Supervising and mentoring junior lawyers within the team
• Contributing to business development and client growth initiatives

Your Experience

• UK-qualified Solicitor (5-8 PQE) with a strong background in Employment law
• Broad experience across both advisory and contentious matters
• Confident managing complex matters and leading client relationships
• Experience supervising or mentoring junior team members
• Commercially minded with a proactive, solutions-focused approach
• Strong communication, drafting and analytical skills
• Interest in business development and contributing to team growth

Why This Role?

• Join a top ranked Employment team with a leading UK and international presence
• Work alongside recognised leaders in the field on complex, high-profile matters
• Exposure to multinational clients and cross-border work
• Real autonomy and client ownership at Senior Associate level
• Clear and structured pathway to Partnership
• Collaborative, supportive culture with a strong focus on people and development
• Flexible and hybrid working with genuine work-life balance
• Highly competitive salary, bonus and comprehensive benefits package