Senior/Principal Associate - Employment - Cambridge

The role

We are looking for an experienced employment law solicitor to join the NSL in our Cambridge office, ideally at Principal Associate level, although strong Senior Associate candidates will also be considered. Principal Associate is the most senior non-Partner grade of lawyer that we have.

You will undertake a broad mix of contentious and non-contentious work predominantly for our well-established heath and care sector client-base, but also for other public organisations and Government bodies.

Health and care is a key sector for the firm and is highly regarded throughout the NSL and the firm.  The work is technically very interesting, arising from the size and complexity of our clients and the national context in which they sit.  The clients are rewarding to work with; they are highly qualified, experienced and keen to do their best for their organisation as well as being fair to employees.  We are regarded as one of the leading health and care sector firms in the country and have ambitious plans for growth.

This is an exciting opportunity to join that team at a senior level, to support further growth and help to develop more junior members of the team.

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
• Demonstrate strong business development credentials in terms of growth from existing clients and bringing in new work

Technical excellence

• Have strong technical competence and legal knowledge in employment law
• Deliver high quality and commercially focussed advice
• Experience in managing Employment Tribunal litigation
• Deliver training to clients and target clients
• Carry out supervision of junior lawyers

The team

The Cambridge employment team is part of the cross-office Employment, Pensions and Immigration NSL of approximately 80 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.

The Cambridge team is ranked in Band 1 in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 and is continuing to develop and grow.  The Cambridge health and care sector employment sub-team is led by Partner Stuart Craig.

The person

You will have 7+ 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

• Degree & 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

• Experience of Employment Tribunal advocacy;
• A passion for developing others; and
• A track record of building a network of contacts with clients and other multipliers (such as participation in an ongoing network or group).

The firm

Mills & Reeve is centred on achieving more for clients, their businesses and the wider communities we serve.

Our clients and their industries benefit from our knowledge and learning – on everything from wellbeing, diversity and inclusion to global trends. The wider community benefits from a focus on sustainability in client and business decisions.

Clients get a consistent experience with no surprises – we tell them what they need to know, when they need to know it. Our sector and market expertise helps us understand clients’ issues. And our technology and innovations help them achieve more with less effort.

We build personal relationships, with advice individually tailored to individual need. And if clients need things we don’t offer, we draw on our network to give recommendations.

Our 1,250 plus people and over 750 lawyers share one vision – achieving more for clients.

By joining Mills & Reeve, you’ll have the chance to build your skills and experience within a firm that’s not only ranked in the top 50 UK law firms, but also one that truly values their people. Our mantra is “Achieve more. Together.”, which we feel embodies our purpose and is more than just a catchphrase!

We’ve been listed in the Best Companies to Work For list the last 20 years - the only law firm to have achieved this, and we hold Platinum Investors in People status, something which only 6% of 50,000 assessed organisations achieve. We’ve also been ranked in the top 10 of RollOnFriday’s Best Law Firms To Work At list for the past eight years, taking the top spot in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Don’t just take our word for it though. Have a read through our  People Perspectives to find out more about some of our team and their experiences at Mills & Reeve.

Pre-employment screening

If we make you an offer for a role, we will conduct a range of pre-employment screening. This will include, but is not limited to, a basic DBS check, right to work check, address verification, any disciplinary history recorded with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability for the role. Full details of our screening process are available on request.

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 cautions) 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

Everyone at Mills & Reeve brings a unique perspective and ideas to the team and we do everything we can to help each person to thrive. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment, are happy to consider flexible working arrangements, and want to achieve the right balance for both our people and the firm. We encourage everyone to ask if they feel they need any workplace adjustments, and will do our best to support with these.

Promoting equality and diversity across our firm is a key pillar of our strategy, and our five staff networks are an integral part of this. To find out more about our diversity and inclusion work,  visit our webpage here.