EMPLOYMENT LAW to c£100K MANCHESTER (with some remote working)

EMPLOYMENT LAW to c£100K MANCHESTER (with some remote working)

Our client is an innovative legal brand situated within a larger professional services company which acts across the UK and into Europe. Providing bespoke business consultancy services this brand acts for a range of blue chip companies and their senior management teams with whom it has built up an advisor relationship in some case over the last 40 years, and strong relationships are very much core to this brands market proposition.

Employment Law and HR consultancy is one service line, and that is provided on a relatively modest scale but at a high level to a range of businesses, and cross referrals are strong within this company. While not necessarily presented as a 'law firm' this brand are SRA regulated and so can offer the full range of legal advice and representation to companies and they are being innovative in how to engage clients and charge for services.

The work undertaken varies, but includes integrated assignments at a strategic level working with management consultants on corporate restructurings and systems implementation; employee relations and TU dialogue if necesssary; provision of employment and HR support to senior management or to internal HR departments; and on occasion being a retained outsourced HR business partner for a business. The focus is Respondent, and will include representing clients at tribunal in the event of a case going down that route. Overall it is a really broad mix of work which goes beyond the realm of many typical employment lawyers and will keep an experienced professional challenged and interested. What this business is not into is 'volume' work staffed by unqualified people. Rather they are offering genuine expertise from well qualified Solicitors and HR specialists and they view their market going forward as being at the quality end not the quantity driven smaller margins market.

In order to grow they are now wanting to recruit at least one experienced Employment Lawyer, and that person will be doing good work in a mature environment and will be well paid as a consequence - a salary of c£60K-100K is available. 6yrsPQE and upwards is realistically what will be need as there will not routinely be technical supervision and so a high level of technical competence and confidence is essential. Managing Associates, Legal Directors or even Partners are likely to be of interest, but this is an organisation with a flat structure so anyone looking for management responsibilities or to progress 'upwards' isn't going to find that stimulation in this role. Rather it will most likely suit a lawyer who is tired of politics, the hassle that comes with team management, or the grind of being in an overtly competitive environment of a commercial law firm and who'd rather go back to basics - the law and the clients without broader responsibilities.

The appeal of this role will be good work, client access and visibility, a non-political quality driven environment, and the chance to enjoy doing Employment Law with a good degree of autonomy. Someone genuinely interested in businesses and the activities of clients, and who enjoys client contact and is client-care minded is essential. However, this organisation has a client base and so does not need someone to bring a client following with them, which again sets such a seemingly senior role apart. This is not a 'cold sell' business either, rather most clients come from referral (internally and externally) and reputation. Their push is on delivery to the client as the best way to enhance market profile and ultimately grow the business and this is why they are so specific in the expertise they want to recruit and why they're backing it with a strong package.

A suitable candidate will be able to travel to commercial clients, as these are spread UK-wide and so there will be travel necessary in the role which can be unpredictable. Whilst the HQ is in Manchester there is a preparedness for people to work remotely as and when needed, and certainly if this ties in with off site client contact or representation. Candidates situated on the corridors of the M1 / M6 / M62 are going to be particularly well positioned for access to the head office and also deployment to clients.

Ultimately the clients come first and so there needs to be some flexibility on both sides to allow the best delivery to clients yet also trusting the lawyer to work with real focus and efficiency when not office based. This organisation wants to trust it's lawyers to be doing their best as career professionals who don't need close management day to day but who instead can be empowered and given some free rein. Candidates who don't share that mindset or who want a tight structure to fit into won't be right for this organization.

This represents an unusual opportunity for an accomplished Employment Lawyer who loves their job and wants to earn decent money in a professional environment and to not have the addtional distractions and responsibilities that 'seniority' usually brings with it by default.



Brooke Thornham Consulting advertisements use PQE levels purely as a guide to the level of experience required for the role and this does not prohibit applications from candidates who are able to demonstrate the necessary skills and experience. We aim to respond to enquiries as soon as possible but if we have not contacted you within 5 days then unfortunately on this occasion your application has not quite met the requirements of our client closely enough.