Senior Associate - Employment - Manchester

The role

We are looking for an employment law solicitor to join the NSL in our Manchester office.

You will undertake a broad mix of contentious and non-contentious work for clients across a number pf sectors including commercial and education, which include Phoenix Group, Bako Group, Royal Northern College of Music and Lancaster University.

At this level, you will be expected to perform as follows:

Client service

• Deliver outstanding client service to both internal and external clients to encourage client retention and referrals
• Have a sound understanding of clients' legal, commercial and service requirements
• Have effective client relationship and client service skills

Technical excellence

• Have strong technical competence and legal knowledge in employment law
• Deliver high quality and commercially focussed advice
• Conduct advocacy
• Deliver training to clients and target clients
• Carry out supervision of junior lawyers

The team

The Manchester team is part of the cross-office Employment, Pensions and Immigration NSL of 70 lawyers (which is headed by David Mills and supported by two professional support lawyers.  There are monthly cross-office NSL training sessions delivered by our professional support lawyers, together with cross-office and sector away days.

In joining our Manchester offering, you will be part of a fast-growing team that continues to develop. You will have the opportunity to work alongside our Manchester partner, Sara Barrett, and the team and be part of our exciting growth plans.

The person

You will have 6+ years’ employment experience gained in a reputable firm with a substantive employment law practice.

Skills and attributes

Given the nature of this role, it is likely that your background and experience will include the following:

Essential

• Good academics – 2.1 degree or equivalent with good A levels or equivalents
• Clear enthusiasm for employment law
• Excellent written drafting skill
• Excellent presentational skills
• Self-starting with common sense and initiative, and ability to work as a team-player working on complex matters
• Very good time and documentation management skills
• Keen attention to detail
• Ability to lead on Employment Tribunal matters and run matters with minimal supervision
• Ability to supervise and assist more junior lawyers
• Ability to build very good relationships with clients, potential clients and multipliers
• Very good research skills, including an ability to use online information sources
• Excellent interpersonal and team skills, including ability to work with others, influence and persuade
• Keen interest in developing client training skills
• High level of IT skills
• Marketing and business development skills

Desirable

• A track record of building a network of contacts with clients and other multipliers (such as participation in an ongoing network or group).

What else should I know?

This is an ideal opportunity to build your skills and experience with a major UK law firm, listed as one of the “Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For” for the last 18 years - the only law firm to achieve this. This year we were named as Roll on Friday’s Firm of the Year. We have also achieved the much sought after Three Star Accreditation and been named as one of 100 Best Mid-Sized Companies to Work For as a result of outstanding levels of staff engagement and the firm’s commitment to creating a positive working environment for all employees.

Mills & Reeve is a major UK law firm renowned for its outstanding service to national and international clients, for its collaborative culture and for its deep sector expertise.

Pre-employment screening

Please note that, in the event that we make an offer of employment, we will conduct pre-employment screening that includes checks relating to your professional and academic qualifications, references from previous employers, your eligibility to work in the UK and any disciplinary history recorded with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). You will also be required to complete a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability.

Disclosure and barring service check and security clearance

This post is also subject to a satisfactory response from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (to check for any previous criminal convictions) and, given the nature of the work-type, you may also be required to undergo national security vetting to SC level – the latter can be undertaken following commencement of employment.

And finally

Mills & Reeve is committed to building a diverse workforce and fostering an inclusive environment in which all our people can thrive. We hire people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our firm stronger, and we have a collaborative culture that celebrates different perspectives and values respect for one another, working together, and openness and integrity. Our approach to flexible working means that we work in a way that achieves the right balance for our people, our clients and for our business.