Head of Employment Law

Our client is a leading law firm owned by a private equity business.  With a varied employment law practice generated primarily from the parent’s portfolio businesses, they have 12 fee earners all of whom are exceeding their targets by a considerable margin.  Working closely with the Managing Director leading the firm and forming part of his leadership committee, making decisions about the running of the firm, you will lead, manage and oversee the work of the employment litigation team, leverage “low hanging fruit” when it comes to business development opportunities cross-leveraged from other areas of the firm and enjoy complete autonomy in running and building the contentious employment practice.

There is so much work coming into the firm that business development is optional.  As the majority of business is from mid-sized private companies (portfolio businesses of the parent) this individual will be at liberty to choose whether to do their own fee earning on this client base or whether to develop a different, more complex or more diverse practice for themselves whilst overseeing the other fee earners on the core client base.  They are happy to accept any ratio between 70% fee earning 30% management and 30% fee earning 70% management and BD depending on the candidate’s preferences and what they see as optimal for running the department.

The successful candidate is likely to be a Senior Associate or Legal Director from a law firm with a practice comprising at least 50% contentious employment work.  This individual is likely to have excellent experience, acumen and managerial skills but may not have the business case for Partnership and will seek an alternative which will allow more minimal business development.  You may also be a strong BDer seeking to minimise fee earning responsibilities.  A junior Partner with or without a following will also be considered.

In return, the firm will provide great support and infrastructure, a captive client base, competitive base salary and bonus and a profit share allowing you to participate in the revenue or the whole employment team (which you will maintain and/or generate).