Employment Litigation Lawyer (Headquarters, Chelmsford)

Location of Role: Chelmsford

Advert Closing Date: 22/07/2026

Starting Salary: £53,451.00 (pro-rata for part-time vacancies)

Part/Full Time: Full Time

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Mon-Fri

Weekend/Evening Working: No

We are seeking an experienced Employment Litigation Lawyer to join Essex Police Legal Services, providing dedicated in-house expertise in employment law and litigation. This is a newly established role designed to strengthen the force’s approach to managing Employment Tribunal claims, ACAS matters, and complex workforce legal issues. The post holder will play a critical role in ensuring cases are managed proactively, consistently, and with strong legal oversight, while supporting organisational learning and risk reduction.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a personal caseload of Employment Tribunal claims, including preparation of pleadings, evidence, witness statements, and representation at hearings and mediations.
• Provide expert legal advice on case merits, litigation strategy, and settlement decisions, balancing legal, financial, and reputational considerations.
• Represent Essex Police in Employment Tribunals, ACAS proceedings, and engagement with external legal providers.
• Analyse litigation trends and outcomes to identify risks, inform preventative action, and support organisational learning.
• Deliver clear, legally robust advice to Chief Officers, senior leaders, and HR on complex employment matters.
• Translate legal outcomes into practical guidance to influence policy development and workforce decision-making.
• Support the development and review of employment-related policies in line with legislation and case law.
• Build internal capability through professional briefings, guidance, and knowledge sharing.

This position sits within the Legal Department and plays a key role in protecting the force’s legal position, financial resilience, and reputation. The role offers high levels of autonomy and direct engagement with senior leaders, requiring sound professional judgement and strategic oversight of employment litigation risk.

What we are looking for in your application

• Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Chartered Legal Executive with a current practising certificate.
• Significant experience managing Employment Tribunal litigation from instruction to conclusion.
• Strong knowledge of employment law, case law, ACAS processes, and tribunal procedure.
• Proven ability to advise senior leaders on complex and sensitive employment matters.
• Experience working within policing, public sector, or other regulated environments.
• Understanding of Police Regulations, misconduct/performance processes, and unionised workforces.

This role offers the opportunity to influence organisational strategy, reduce legal risk, and shape how employment litigation informs workforce practice across the force. It also supports the transition away from reliance on external legal providers, strengthening internal capability and consistency.

Our Location

This role is based at Essex Headquarters, Chelmsford, operating as an office‑based agile worker with opportunities for flexible working where appropriate.

If you are a motivated employment lawyer looking to make a strategic impact in a complex and high‑profile public sector environment, we would welcome your application.

Depending on your current vetting level and security clearances, you may be required to complete additional vetting information during the recruitment process.

Kent Police and Essex Police welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, or employment status.

If you’re not from the UK, you must be a resident in the UK and have lived here continuously for the last three years. You must also be free from restrictions with indefinite leave to remain. If you’re from the UK you must have lived here continuously for the last three years. This doesn’t apply to those serving abroad in the British Armed Forces.

As a Disability Confident Leader we:

• Have subjected our Disability Confident self‑assessment to external challenge and validation.
• Are taking an active leadership role in encouraging and helping other employers on their journey to becoming Disability Confident.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion are central to the values of our organisation. At Essex Police we value and embrace the unique experiences, identities and abilities that each of us bring to our roles. We strive to empower everyone to bring their authentic self openly and safely to work. Through the dedicated commitment of our support networks, DEI team and wider HR departments, we are on a journey to embed our DEI commitments, ensuring Essex Police is an employer of choice; where everyone feels included. Essex Police and Kent Police are an equal opportunities employer.

Communications may be recorded for monitoring purposes.