Employment Lawyer x7

Location: Bristol

£48,985

Tackle a wide range of employment law challenges in our newest legal team.

Who we are

The Government Legal Department (GLD) is the largest provider of legal services across government, working with all the main Whitehall Departments. From roads to rivers, and health to human rights, our work touches on most aspects of public life. The department has more than 14 client-facing advisory teams who provide legal advice on the development, design and implementation of government policies and decisions, draft secondary legislation and work with Parliamentary Counsel on primary legislation. Our vision is to be trusted by government to provide excellent and value for money services so departments want to come to us to meet their legal needs, to be known throughout the legal profession for the quality of our work, and to be the best employer for our people.

The role

Our Employment Group is one of the largest employment law teams in the UK, and is made up of over 170 lawyers and administrators who are divided between eight legal teams and one business management team. We provide employment litigation and advisory services to central government, and have a client base of over 55 government departments and other public bodies. Our lawyers focus on collective and strategic HR and major departmental policy issues, conduct large scale multi-party litigation, offer advice to the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury on Civil Service employment issues, and work on transactional employment matters. The majority of our litigation work is in the Employment Tribunal although we also handle appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal, the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court and relevant claims in the High Court.

All our people are supported by excellent knowledge management, a rich training programme and a supportive culture of leadership and management at all levels of the organisation, and we’re currently seeking to recruit seven Employment Lawyers to join the team in our new Bristol base. Join us and you’ll manage a varied caseload of claims and appeals in the Employment Tribunal and civil courts, and undertake advisory work for clients on the full range of employment issues. You’ll also play an active role in the team, the Employment Group and wider GLD, and make an important contribution to client training, diversity and inclusion activities, knowledge management and the supervision of less experienced members of staff.

About you

To be successful in one of these roles you’ll have a sound understanding of employment law, strong drafting, negotiation and case management skills, and reliable legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk. Committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity, and respectful of difference and external experience, you’ll welcome and respond to views and challenges from others, despite any conflicting pressures.

Capable of explaining complex issues in a way that is easy to understand, and with the skills to communicate in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way, you’ll be ready to deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, and be persuasive when required. We’ll also expect you to challenge assumptions while being willing to compromise if this is beneficial to progress, and build strong relationships with your colleagues. You’ll also help to create an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are taken into account and bullying and discrimination are unacceptable.

You should have a minimum of a 2:1 honours degree in your first degree (in any subject). If you hold an overseas degree qualification this should be equivalent to a 2.1. We’ll consider applicants who do not have a 2.1 degree but only where satisfactory evidence of equivalent high level academic and/or professional achievement can be provided.

You must be qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales (or will be qualified 3 months from application date), and you should have completed a training contract, pupillage or qualifying employment, or been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx. We also welcome applicants qualified in a jurisdiction outside England and Wales.

For more information

The Government Legal Department will be hosting an Employment Lawyers Information Session which will give you the opportunity to find out more about this role, meet the GLD Employment team and have a friendly chat. The event will take place on Wednesday 23 November 2022 from 6pm to 8pm at 2 Rivergate, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6EH.

If you would like to book a place to attend please RSVP with your name and email address to Caroline.Miller@governmentlegal.gov.uk by 22nd November. If you cannot attend in person please feel free to email Caroline.Miller@governmentlegal.gov.uk who will send a link for you to join virtually.