Employment Associate in London

We are working exclusively with a well-established, full-service London law firm, on the appointment of an Employment Associate (4–5 PQE) to join its growing Employment team. This opportunity represents an excellent chance for an ambitious employment lawyer to join a collaborative, highly regarded team where they will enjoy genuine responsibility, direct client contact and a clear route for progression.

Our client is a respected full-service law firm based in Central London with approximately 120 employees. The firm advises a broad range of commercial and private clients across a variety of practice areas, with its Property practice being one of its largest and most established teams. The firm has built an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality legal advice while maintaining a genuinely supportive and collegiate culture. Lawyers benefit from close collaboration across departments, approachable partners and a strong emphasis on long-term career development.

The successful candidate will undertake a broad mix of contentious and non-contentious employment work, acting predominantly for employers while retaining exposure to claimant matters.

• Employment Tribunal litigation
• Day-to-day HR advisory work
• Employment contracts and service agreements
• Disciplinary and grievance matters
• Redundancy and restructuring advice
• Settlement agreements
• Discrimination, whistleblowing and unfair dismissal claims
• Corporate support on employment aspects of transactions
• General employment law advisory work

The practice is split broadly: Approximately 70% respondent work and 30% claimant work. Around a 50/50 split between contentious and non-contentious matters. Clients are primarily SMEs operating across a diverse range of sectors, including hospitality, leisure and retail, ensuring a varied and commercially focused caseload.

The firm is keen to speak with Employment Associates with approximately 4–5 years' PQE who have gained solid employment law experience within a recognised employment practice.

• Strong technical employment law experience across contentious and non-contentious matters.
• Confidence managing matters with an appropriate level of supervision.
• Excellent communication and client relationship skills.
• A collaborative approach and willingness to become an integral member of a close-knit team.

This role offers an attractive alternative to larger City practices for lawyers seeking high-quality work within a supportive and genuinely collegiate environment. Key selling points include:

• A friendly, sociable and collaborative culture.
• A small team offering significant partner access and mentoring.
• Early responsibility and meaningful client exposure.
• Broad, varied employment work across a diverse client base.
• Clear opportunities for progression as the team continues to develop.
• Sensible annual billing target of approximately 1,250 hours, supporting a healthy work-life balance.

This is an excellent opportunity for an Employment Associate looking to take the next step in their career within a well-established London firm. The successful candidate will enjoy high levels of responsibility, excellent client exposure and the opportunity to play a key role in a growing practice, all within a supportive and welcoming team environment.