Employment Tribunal Advocate in Manchester

In this position you will represent Moorepay’s respondent clients in Acas Early Conciliation, Employment Tribunal (ET) and Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) proceedings in Great Britain. Manage individual cases from initial assessment and preparation through to full merits hearings, settlement and appeals, providing clear legal advice throughout.

Key Responsibilities

Case management and advocacy:

• Liaise with clients and Acas on Early Conciliation. Assess potential costs, compensation awards and litigation exposure, advise on options and negotiate settlements in accordance with client instructions.
• Prepare and manage ET and EAT cases, complying with procedural requirements, client instructions and applicable professional duties.
• Provide occasional advice on complex or high-risk cases for front line Advice or HR consultants, requiring delivery of a clear brief to ensure thorough management.
• Represent clients at remote and in-person preliminary and full merits hearings in the appropriate tribunal. To include accurate and timely drafting of comprehensive witness statements and skeleton arguments, compelling cross-examination and re-examination, and expert deployment of relevant case law and tribunal proceedings.
• Undertake EAT advocacy on assigned appeals, preparing arguments and legal submissions appropriate to appeal proceedings.

Travel:

• Attend company and client sites and travel to tribunal venues across the UK as required.
• Deliver HR and employment law advice within the scope and service standards of applicable service level agreements.

Service and professional standards:

• Maintain relevant professional development and up-to-date employment law knowledge.
• Liaise with account managers to understand and support clients’ objectives.
• Provide responsive, professional client service in accordance with applicable contractual and professional obligations, including any obligations that continue after the contract ends.
• Identify lessons and quality issues from conciliation, litigation and appeals, and support the HR Services team in improving service quality and value.
• Understand Moorepay’s commercial relationships with clients, while respecting client instructions and applicable professional duties.
• Maintain accurate, complete and timely case records including time recording.

Commercial and insurance support:

• Identify business opportunities among existing clients and in the wider market, referring them to the appropriate department for follow-up and resourcing.
• Support Legal Expenses Insurance claims handling and effective claims management, including coverage reviews against the advice given and relevant indemnity provisions. Liaise with the claims team and insurers as appropriate, without overriding client instructions or applicable professional duties.

Republic of Ireland – additional responsibilities (where expertise is held):

• Knowledge of Republic of Ireland employment law and procedure, and skills in case preparation, case management and advocacy in that jurisdiction, are desirable, not essential for appointment.
• Where the post holder has the relevant knowledge and expertise, their role will include occasional assigned Republic of Ireland case preparation and management, advocacy before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and in employment-rights appeals to the Labour Court, and associated travel to the Republic of Ireland, subject to their competence and applicable authority to act.

Skills & Experience

• Demonstrable experience representing respondents in employment tribunal proceedings, including advocacy at full merits hearings.
• Experience advising corporate clients on high-risk employment issues, including complex cases.
• Effective communication, negotiation and advocacy skills.
• Clear, accurate written communication and legal drafting.
• Self-motivation and the ability to manage cases and associated administration independently, with minimal supervision.
• A professional, credible approach to client service and the ability to build client confidence.
• Qualified, practising solicitor specialising in employment law advice and employment tribunal advocacy.
• Experience representing clients before the EAT.
• Broad practical experience advising on HR and employment law, including complex or high-risk matters through to EAT proceedings.
• Knowledge of Republic of Ireland (ROI) employment law and advocacy. Where the post holder has the necessary expertise, undertake ROI casework, advocacy before the WRC and Labour Court, and associated travel.
• Confidence using IT systems, including MyHMCTS and customer relationship management (CRM) databases.

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