Solicitor - Employment Law

Overview

You will become a part-time employment solicitor dealing with a broad range of contentious and non-contentious work on behalf of the County Council and organisations with which it can trade. You will be expected to provide timely, accurate legal advice to council officers, including qualified HR practitioners, elected members, and partner organisations including academies and schools as appropriate. The post involves dealing with a range of employment matters including contractual disputes, discrimination claims, wrongful termination allegations, wage disputes, severance agreements, and capability & disciplinary issues. It routinely involves representing the Council at internal hearings as well as external tribunals. In addition to contentious work, you are required to provide general employment advice and support to client departments as well as assisting with the preparation of documents such as employment contracts (variations thereof), settlement agreements and policy documents.

About the Role

The provision of legal services in relation to employment matters including advocacy where relevant to all County Council departments, together with any organisation or party with whom the Council has a contract to provide legal services.

We are keen to support employees to balance their working life with other commitments. Wherever possible, we will consider working arrangements that suit an individual\\\’s personal circumstances whilst still meeting the needs of the Council. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below. This may include requests for term-time working, part-time hours, compressed hours, flexible start and finish times, home/remote working, etc.

Responsibilities

• Be commercially focused and competent in handling a wide range of often complex employment law matters that face a large public sector employer. Have excellent written and oral skills. Competent with drafting and negotiation.
• Have up to date knowledge of employment law to manage a caseload of matters relating to employment law, including unfair dismissal, redundancy, discrimination, TUPE, and contractual matters generally. Undertaking some advocacy in employment tribunals, demonstrating evidence of providing quality legal advice and assistance.
• Be aware of Information law (e.g. Data Protection issues). Familiar with legal IT applications. Be reliable and take responsibility for organising own work to achieve objectives in order of priority and to deadlines.
• Be reliable and take responsibility for organising own work to achieve objectives in order of priority and to deadlines. Being able to work accurately under pressure with minimum supervision.
• Rapidly establish good working relationships of trust and confidence with professional clients by providing customer-focused solutions. Be able to operate effectively individually and as part of a team.
• Have a current driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• You must also have an understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion. In addition, we also expect you to share our commitment to our values and will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the selection process.

Equality and Diversity

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. The organisation supports Disability Confident practices.