Senior Associate, Employment & Labor

About the Team

A leading international law firm is seeking a Senior Associate to join its highly regarded Employment & Labor practice. The team is recognised for delivering pragmatic, commercially focused advice to a diverse client base, ranging from multinational organisations and household brands to fast-growing businesses. Working closely with clients across a broad range of sectors, the team advises on the full spectrum of employment law matters, including complex workplace disputes, strategic people issues, business restructurings, cross-border employment matters, and employment aspects of corporate transactions. Known for its collaborative approach and strong client relationships, the team combines technical excellence with a practical understanding of the challenges facing modern employers. This role offers the opportunity to work on high-profile matters alongside leading employment lawyers across a European network.

Role Purpose

As a Senior Associate, you will be expected to contribute across the following areas:

• Business & Financial Management: Contribute to the negotiation of profitable fee levels for a variety of clients.
• Client Focus: Work on large client matters with limited supervision.
• Working with People & Teams: Delegate work to more junior colleagues, manage their performance, and manage upwards effectively by making best use of partner/director time.
• Business Development: Project manage business development activities and use interaction to win new work from existing clients and contacts.
• Technical Skills: Possess comprehensive knowledge of specialist areas of law and recognise where changes in law may require amendments to precedents, taking action accordingly.
• Knowledge & Innovation: Successfully implement knowledge sharing initiatives within the team and client base, and actively seek publication or speaking opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

• Casework & Advisory Support: Deliver on employment litigation, including preparing ET3s, drafting schedules/counter schedules of loss, undertaking legal research, and supporting advocacy preparations. Manage workplace investigations, including fact-gathering, document review, and drafting investigation reports. Contribute to advisory matters such as disciplinary/grievance processes, redundancies, TUPE, employment status, and senior exits.
• Leading on Larger Transactions and Cases: Assist and lead transformation projects including restructuring, outsourcing, and organisational change programmes, including preparing consultation materials and supporting project management.
• Client Interaction & Communication: Draft clear, commercially relevant advice. Lead client calls and meetings, helping to prepare agendas, documents, and follow-up notes.
• Business Development & Team Contribution: Contribute towards the business development strategy of the team by preparing briefing papers, attending and presenting at client seminars, and developing contacts within organisations. Help build client relationships through responsive, professional communication.

Additional Responsibilities

• Qualified solicitor in England & Wales or another common law jurisdiction with strong relevant experience in respondent employment law.
• Significant post-qualification experience with 6–9 years PQE within a leading international law firm or comparable in-house environment.
• Experience and awareness of regulatory changes affecting financial institutions.
• Good understanding of employment law fundamentals, with proven expertise in restructuring, investigations, and litigation.
• An ability to think laterally and identify related issues and problems.
• A proactive, organised, and commercially aware approach, with a willingness to learn and take on responsibility.
• Confident communicator with strong client-facing skills.
• Supervise and mentor junior lawyers and trainees, supporting their professional development.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships through excellent service delivery and responsiveness.
• Contribute to business development initiatives including pitches, client presentations, publications, and industry events.
• Drive efficient matter management, financial discipline, and delivery against budgets and timelines.
• Collaborate effectively across international offices and practice groups.
• Support innovation, process improvement, and knowledge management initiatives within the practice.
• Ensure compliance with professional standards, firm policies, and regulatory obligations.

About You

The ideal candidate will be a technically strong and commercially minded lawyer who thrives in a collaborative, market-facing, and high-performing environment. You will demonstrate excellent communication skills, consistent technical excellence, and sound commercial judgement, along with the ability to manage complex matters while building trusted relationships with clients and colleagues.

• Qualified solicitor in England & Wales or another common law jurisdiction with strong relevant experience in respondent employment law.
• Significant post-qualification experience with 6–9 years PQE within a leading international law firm or comparable in-house environment.
• Experience and awareness of regulatory changes affecting financial institutions.
• Good understanding of employment law fundamentals, with proven expertise in restructuring, investigations, and litigation.
• An ability to think laterally and identify related issues and problems.
• A proactive, organised, and commercially aware approach, with a willingness to learn and take on responsibility.
• Confident communicator with strong client-facing skills.
• Supervise and mentor junior lawyers and trainees, supporting their professional development.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships through excellent service delivery and responsiveness.
• Contribute to business development initiatives including pitches, client presentations, publications, and industry events.
• Drive efficient matter management, financial discipline, and delivery against budgets and timelines.
• Collaborate effectively across international offices and practice groups.
• Support innovation, process improvement, and knowledge management initiatives within the practice.
• Ensure compliance with professional standards, firm policies, and regulatory obligations.