Solicitor – Schools & Charities (Employment)

Themis Recruit; Guildford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leave 28 days (plus bank holidays)

Private medical insurance

Generous pension and life assurance

Income protection

Supportive and inclusive culture

Career development

Job summary

Themis Recruit is seeking a Solicitor or Legal Executive to join the Schools & Charities Team in Guildford, focusing on Employment Law.

Roll up your sleeves to deliver specialist legal advice to independent schools and charitable organisations, including governance, safeguarding, and education law matters, with a clear path for career growth.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or legal executive with employment law experience.
• Education law experience is desirable but not essential.
• PQE between 0 and 3 is common for this role.

Responsibilities

• Provide employment and HR advice including contracts, staff handbooks, conduct issues, redundancy, discrimination, and TPS.
• Advise schools on education law issues involving pupils and parents, including safeguarding and complaints.
• Assist in governance and compliance matters, including constitution updates and conflict of interest training.
• Work on mergers, acquisitions and TUPE matters related to school operations.
• Collaborate across employment, property, and charity law as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Manage own caseload with supervision and training.
• Engage with clients empathetically, delivering practical legal solutions for education and charity sectors.

Education

Solicitor qualification

Job description

Guildford, United Kingdom | Posted on 04/06/2025

Our client is seeking a qualified Solicitor or Legal Executive to join our Schools & Charities Team, specialising in Employment Law, at their Guildford office.

This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a nationally recognised team delivering specialist legal advice to independent schools and charitable organisations. The role offers direct involvement in a variety of legal matters including employment, education, governance, and safeguarding – with scope to build a long-term career in a supportive, people-focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

Provide employment and HR advice including contracts, staff handbooks, conduct issues, redundancy, discrimination, and the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS)

Advise schools on education law issues involving pupils and parents, including safeguarding, complaints, and special educational needs.

Assist in matters of governance and compliance, including constitution updates and conflict of interest training.

Work on mergers, acquisitions, and TUPE matters related to school operations

Collaborate with colleagues across employment, property, and charity law

Manage your own caseload with appropriate supervision and training

Engage with clients empathetically, providing practical legal solutions tailored to the education and charity sectors.

Requirements

Qualified Solicitor or Legal Executive with employment law experience

Education law experience is desirable but not essential

Ideally suited to candidates between NQ – 3 PQE (although PQE is not the sole indicator of suitability)

Excellent communication skills with a calm, proactive and adaptable approach

A genuine interest in supporting schools and charitable organisations

Team-oriented with the drive to grow professionally and contribute to a collaborative, high-performing team

28 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays)

Private medical insurance

Generous pension and life assurance

Income protection

Supportive and inclusive culture

Career development in a firm where people come first

• 28 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Private medical insurance
• Generous pension and life assurance
• Income protection
• Supportive and inclusive culture
• Career development in a firm where people come first