Employment Associate in Cambridge

We are seeking a bright and ambitious Employment Associate (1–3 PQE) to join our growing Cambridge Employment team. This role offers the opportunity to work closely with a Partner and Senior Associate in Cambridge, supporting exciting innovation‑driven organisations including high‑growth technology and life sciences companies, funders, and businesses pioneering next‑generation solutions. You will also collaborate with colleagues across London, Liverpool, Ireland and beyond. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys a varied workload, meaningful responsibility, and strong client engagement, while playing an active role in Cambridge’s thriving innovation ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

• Advising founders, in‑house counsel, boards and senior leaders on strategic people matters, talent growth frameworks, policies, procedures and complex employee relations issues, with a focus on supporting business growth and scaling needs.
• Advising global organisations on UK employment and talent considerations, and supporting UK growth companies with their international expansion plans, including approaches to engaging and retaining talent overseas.
• Collaborating with colleagues specialising in venture capital, intellectual property, brand and community matters to support the full lifecycle of scaling innovation‑led businesses.
• Working on contentious matters, including conflict resolution, Employment Tribunal cases and High Court litigation for both employers and employees.
• Supporting the Cambridge and wider team with growth initiatives within the Oxbridge innovation cluster.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• UK‑qualified lawyer with approximately 1–3 years’ PQE and experience in relevant areas of employment law.
• Strong interest in the Cambridge and Oxford ecosystems, particularly within the technology and life sciences sectors, with enthusiasm for supporting scaling innovation businesses.
• Strong technical skills with good commercial acumen and an entrepreneurial, client‑focused outlook.
• Strong listening, communication and relationship‑building skills.
• Willingness to participate in business development activities, attend networking events, and build relationships within the market.
• Experience, or clear potential, to lead negotiations and manage transactions.
• Confidence managing client files with appropriate supervision, alongside a proactive and collaborative working style.

Benefits

• Hybrid working (Offering the opportunity to work remotely, while maintaining a social boundary by working from our award‑winning offices for 3 days a week).
• Holiday (Our basic annual holiday entitlement starts at 25 days, with a further discretionary day of paid leave in December. You may also purchase up to five extra days each year (pro rata).
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave (After one‑year service, you are entitled to up to 26 weeks leave full pay if you or your partner give birth or adopt a child).
• Along with these there are many more benefits we offer, with the addition of a comprehensive flexible benefits package available.

Our culture

Nurturing a diverse, inclusive culture allows all of our talent to flourish, sparks creativity and powers innovation. We continue to build a team that exemplifies inclusivity and reflects the firm's core values: creative, excellence, integrity, responsible, respect and team. We value and celebrate the differences in who we are, what we have experienced and how we think, so all candidates will be treated fairly regardless of age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender identity, marital status, neurodiversity, pregnancy, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic background.

The way we work

At Taylor Wessing, we never settle for average. We're creative thinkers, problem solvers and continuous learners who excel at what we do and believe our best work is still ahead of us. We are a firm that’s large enough for you to achieve your ambitions, but connected enough to be a true community.

Taylor Wessing

Taylor Wessing is a global law firm that serves the world’s most innovative people and businesses. Deeply embedded within our sectors, we work closely together with our clients to crack complex problems, enabling ideas and aspirations to thrive. Together we challenge expectation and create extraordinary results. By shaping the conversation in our sectors, we enable our clients to unlock growth, protect innovation and accelerate ambition.

With 1250+ lawyers, 350+ partners, 26 offices and 16 jurisdictions we are looking to expand our Employment team, with the addition of an Associate.