Employment Senior Associate 6 yrs+ PQE in London

Note for Agencies: We are currently only accepting direct applications for this role. Please refrain from sending through applications via email to either the HR team or Partners at the firm as they will not be accepted as an introduction for the purpose of any fees. We operate a PSL for agencies that have agreed to our terms who will be invited to submit candidates at the appropriate time.

About Joelson: We are a partner-led, London-based law firm with the flexibility to cover a wide array of clients across industry sectors both domestically and internationally. We are committed to excellence and deliver a client-focused, tailored, and bespoke service to both anticipate and meet our clients’ needs in assisting them to achieve their short, mid and long-term objectives.

The opportunity: Joelson is a thriving commercial law firm based in the West End of London, with over 60 staff. This is an exciting opportunity to join Joelson’s fast-growing Employment team. The opportunity has arisen as a result of the expansion of the team and retirement of one of the team’s partners. Joelson is ideal for those who would like to be part of an open, inclusive and collaborative team. We are down-to-earth in approach and look for individuals who can hit the ground running and are keen to take on responsibility, whilst being supported and encouraged by the wider team.

Main objective of the role: The main objective of the role is to be a key senior member of the Employment team, providing a first-class service to our clients on a range of matters and helping lead on the team’s business development and marketing activities. The team’s clients include small to medium enterprises and some larger corporations. The team seeks to involve all members in client relationship building and business development.

Practice overview: The Employment & Immigration team comprises 2 partners, 1 Associate Solicitor, 2 Solicitors, 1 Trainee Solicitor and 1 Legal Secretary. The team also includes two Immigration fee-earners (Senior Associate and Graduate Apprentice Solicitor).

Hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm Monday to Friday, with flexibility required outside those times on occasions and/or as required. We offer flexibility to work from the office or at home with 1 designated team day within the office per week and 1 firmwide day in the office per month.

Key responsibilities include:

• Client Service & Legal Expertise
• Lead on complex employment law matters, advising clients (primarily employers) across a broad range of workplace issues.
• Oversee Employment Tribunal claims, including strategy, case management, and preparation of evidence and witnesses.
• Provide high-level tactical and strategic advice, including fee structuring and risk assessment.
• Primary contact for corporate advisory work and building strong relationships with the Corporate & Commercial team.
• Advise on a wide spectrum of employment matters including but not limited to disputes in the workplace (disciplinary/grievance matters); TUPE matters, Employment Tribunals Claims, executive level employment matters, drafting employee handbooks, settlement agreements and injunction work.
• Deliver training on recent legislative changes to clients and prospective BD contacts.
• Deliver exceptional client service aligned with Joelson’s values and standards.
• Team Leadership & Supervision
• Supervise more junior solicitors and trainees, providing guidance, feedback, and support on legal work and professional development.
• Review and sign off on work produced by junior team members.
• Contribute to team training and knowledge sharing initiatives.
• Business Development & Marketing
• Actively contribute to the firm’s business development strategy, including identifying new opportunities and nurturing client relationships.
• Lead and contribute to thought leadership through articles, webinars, and employment law updates.
• Represent Joelson at networking events and industry forums.
• Operational & Strategic Contribution
• Maintain up-to-date legal knowledge and contribute to the firm’s internal know-how.
• Ensure accurate time recording and file management using the firm’s systems.
• Support Joelson’s B-Corp values and initiatives, reflecting our commitment to people, profit, and planet.

Ideal Candidate: Our ideal candidate will have the following:

• Proactive, self-motivated and reliable individual;
• First rate commercial contract drafting skills; negotiation with key stakeholders;
• Experience at managing and mentoring team members;
• Demonstration of knowledge sharing skills and business development;
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing;
• Strong organisation and administration skills, with the ability to prioritise workloads effectively;
• A friendly and personable approach with colleagues and clients;
• A proactive and growth mindset towards achieving goals;
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel, and an ability to pick up new systems quickly.

Recruitment Process: Our recruitment process is designed to help us get to know you while giving you the opportunity to learn more about our firm and the role.

• Stage 1 - First Interview: You'll meet the Head of HR and a Partner. This interview focuses on your experience, skills, motivation for applying and gives you the chance to ask any questions about the role and our firm.
• Stage 2 - Final Interview & Written Test: If the first interview is successful, candidates will be invited to a second stage interview with two Partners (one from our Corporate team). As part of this stage, you will also complete a written assessment designed to evaluate your written communication. Following the final stage, we'll be in touch to let you know the outcome as soon as possible.

Environment, Social & Governance: Being a responsible business is at the core of what we do. We place value in creating a fair and equal working environment and ensuring that we operate ethically. Our B Corp certification shows our dedication to these values! Which is why we place great emphasis on taking care of our employees, managing our social and environmental impact within our community through undertaking Pro Bono cases and by being a member of LawWorks. We have partnered with Ecologi and are now a climate positive workforce. Moreover, this year we are proud to be supporting City Harvest as our firm charity.

Our commitment to inclusion: At Joelson we actively encourage diversity and inclusion as an integral part of the cultural fabric of our firm. It is in our mission to provide equitable opportunities for all. As an inclusive employer, we welcome applications from under-represented identities to help improve our diverse thinking across all specialisms. As a part of this, you will receive a short survey upon submission of your application, so that we have data by which to measure our progress and continue to improve our diversity levels. Such diversity data will be anonymised to protect applicant privacy.