Senior Associate - Employment (Health)

Providing comprehensive and pragmatic employment advice and support to clients in the health sector. Our team of legal and HR specialists within the health team have a wealth of knowledge and experience and come highly commended; consistently featured in Band One of the Legal 500 and Chambers UK listings. At the core of our approach is our objective to help our health clients do what is fundamentally right for their pupils and their organisation as a whole. To build excellent relationships with clients at all levels, striving to deliver pragmatic, sector orientated advice that is carefully aligned to client's interests and at the forefront of national best practice. To build excellent relationships with colleagues, relating well to people at all levels within the firm, building team spirit and showing a collegial commitment to ongoing development of the firm's services to the health sector. What does the role actually involve?

• To provide solution focused, pragmatic employment advice to clients in the health sector including:
+ o Advising on the full range of employment law issues that affect their organisation. This requires a commitment to understanding their sector context as it evolves and the terms and conditions they operate under. o Advocacy in employment tribunals, from Directions Hearings, Preliminary Hearings through to Full Hearings (not normally longer than five days, for which we would generally use Counsel) o Ability to prepare for employment tribunal cases, including preparation of Claim/Response, preparing and answering discrimination questionnaires, Interlocutory Applications, Witness Statements, Skeleton Arguments o Drafting contracts, policies and procedures; advising clients on what procedures are required o Advise on union issues including how to navigate negotiating policies, restructures and changing t&cs in a unionised context. As well as advising on industrial action in the national and local context. o Advising on TUPE, including on academy transfers and projects as well as general transfer queries o General advice, e.g., conduct of disciplinary investigations; grievance procedures; redundancy programmes; holiday pay (including issues around term time only employees); general queries about flexible working, maternity rights, paternity rights etc. o Undertaking workplace investigations (which will not be limited to the health sector).
• Maximise new business opportunities for the firm seeing them through to successful completion
• Undertake public speaking at conferences and other events, demonstrating credibility
• Write blog posts and advisory articles on an ad-hoc basis for both Browne Jacobson materials as well as sector publications and websites
• Deliver exceptional client service at all times, keeping the client at the centre of all that we do
• Keep abreast of sector developments and changes in order to ensure that advice is compliant, and sector focused
• Delegate to and supervise more junior members of the team, as required
• Contribute towards the marketing efforts and other non-fee-earning projects of the department, including assisting in the preparation of and /or speaking at seminars, drafting training programmes, keeping precedents up-to date and contributing to Employment Bulletins
• Undertake a proactive approach in terms of business development, maximising the potential for new opportunities, both externally and through internal cross selling opportunities
  
  What technical skills are required for someone to be successful and enjoy the role?
• A thorough understanding of the practical application of employment law - both contentious and non-contentious issues
• Good IT and keyboard skills, familiar with Microsoft Office and experience of relevant case management systems
• Familiarity with online and library research facilities
• Be fully up to date with legal developments i.e. reviewing monthly law reports and journals (including IDS Brief and ELA Briefing)
Who would be a good fit for this role? As part of the Employment team, you would be expected to have the following skills and experience:
• Experience in contentious and non-contentious employment work
• An enquiring mind, attention to detail and a willingness to accept new challenges
• Commercial awareness with the ability to assimilate facts quickly and work towards tight timescales, managing own time effectively
• The ability to provide and communicate practical, commercial advice in a straightforward common-sense manner, establishing and maintaining good professional relationships with both clients and colleagues
• Effective interviewing skills
• Strong report writing skills
• A willingness to attend marketing and social events organised by the firm or its clients or professional organisations
• The ability to generate and contribute ideas for improving service to clients, marketing and other initiatives.
• As a role model, an appreciation of appropriate standards of behaviour, upholding Browne Jacobson's core values and ethics, promoting and defending equal opportunities and embracing diversity and inclusion
  
  At Browne Jacobson, we've always worked across business and society, and this expertise sets us apart. Social and environmental impact are at the top of our business agenda. We champion fairness, make the complex simple and forge connections between clients to find creative solutions. This is how we improve outcomes for every person, community and business we serve.
With offices in Birmingham, Dublin, Exeter, London, Manchester, Nottingham and Cardiff, we're a UK & I based law firm with an international reach. Our sectors include: health; real estate and construction; education; energy and infrastructure; financial services; government; insurance; manufacturing and industrials; and retail, consumer and logistics. We nurture talent at all levels and from every background and celebrate what makes people individuals. Law needs all voices to reflect the society it serves and we're working towards social mobility, diversity and inclusion in our firm - and our profession. We strive to create meaningful personal and professional development opportunities and offer flexible working in support of a good work-life balance. We focus on wellbeing and individuality, so that all our people can thrive. We're a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who best meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. We strive to create meaningful personal and professional development opportunities and offer flexible working in support of a good work-life balance. We focus on wellbeing and individuality, so that all our people can thrive.