In-House Employment Solicitor x2 - City of London

Job Details

Regulated by the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority, Duncan Lewis Solicitors was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in the City of London (Fenchurch Street EC3M), with offices nationwide. We are recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners UK independent legal directories as a top-tier law firm in all of our key practice areas – “a diligent and professional team that is prepared to go the extra mile for its clients”. A paperless law firm with over 500 personnel that embraces hybrid-working, we service both corporate entities and private individuals in over 25 areas of law across 60 languages. We give people a voice - that is our ethos.

Choosing a career with Duncan Lewis is choosing a law firm that is the largest provider of publicly funded (legal aid) legal services in the country and has a growing private client practice. We have been Investors in People Gold Standard accredited for over 15 years and are continuously applauded nationally for the work that we do.

Having demonstrated unparalleled legal expertise and a commitment to justice, we were awarded Law Firm of the Year at both the 2024 Lexis Nexis Awards and 2023 Modern Law Awards. We are named as one of the Times 200 Best Law Firms. In 2021 we were celebrated by the Chambers Europe Award as an ‘outstanding firm’ for diversity and inclusion. In previous years we have been awarded a number of awards, including the Law Society Excellence Award for Large Law Firm of the Year in 2020, Access to Justice at the UK Legal Diversity Awards in 2019 and the Family Law Firm of the Year at the 2015 Family Law Awards, to name just a few. Duncan Lewis is Law Society Lexcel, Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001 Information Management accredited.

We are committed to recruiting dedicated and talented professionals and welcome applications from exceptional candidates. At Duncan Lewis, we value training and diversity, and we take pride in our inclusive workforce. If you are passionate about our areas of law and eager to advance your career with us, please submit your CV and application online.

The Role:

• To assist the Company in all matters relating to employment law, ensuring legal compliance and minimising risk.
• To support the Company in achieving its operational and strategic objectives through effective employment practices and HR governance.
• To contribute to the successful growth and development of the business in line with the Company’s strategic and workforce planning goals.

Main Responsibilities of the Role:

• Reviewing, and updating employment contracts, consultancy agreements, and other related documentation to ensure legal compliance and alignment with business needs.
• Managing all aspects of employment litigation, both pre-claim and during formal proceedings, including liaising with insurers and their appointed solicitors, and supporting internal stakeholders through the process.
• Providing professional support and guidance on employee performance management, ensuring all performance-related issues are addressed in accordance with company policy, employment law, and best practice.
• Advising on and managing employee relations issues, including grievances and disciplinary matters, ensuring timely and legally compliant resolution in line with internal policies.
• Overseeing the recruitment of senior employees, including advising on contractual terms and conditions, and ensuring a smooth and compliant on-boarding process.
• Providing regular advice on Company policies, ensuring these are current, legally compliant, and consistently applied across the business.
• Assisting the Management Board with the oversight and resolution of health and safety matters in collaboration with relevant departments or external advisers.
• Undertaking any other reasonable tasks or responsibilities as may be requested by the Management Board from time to time, in line with the needs of the business.

Key Skills Required:

• Extensive experience in handling a wide range of employment-related matters.
• Strong and up-to-date knowledge of Employment Law.
• Holds a clean, valid Practising Certificate at the time of application.
• Collaborative team player with the ability to adapt to new challenges.
• Professional and proactive approach to problem-solving and service delivery.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical and organisational abilities.
• Confident in using own initiative and exercising sound judgment.
• Proficient IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications and document management systems.
• Proven ability to manage workload independently and meet strict deadlines.
• High attention to detail with the ability to maintain accurate and well-organised records.

Aims and Objectives:

• Ensure the company’s employment practices and documentation are legally compliant, up-to-date, and aligned with business objectives.
• Provide strategic and practical support on employment law matters to mitigate legal risk and support effective decision-making by the Management Board.
• Promote fair and consistent management of employee relations, performance, and conduct in accordance with company policy and legal requirements.
• Support senior recruitment and policy development to maintain robust governance and foster a compliant, high-performing work environment.
• Contribute to a safe and legally sound workplace by advising on employment-related health and safety concerns and responding to emerging HR issues as needed.

What we offer:

• A fantastic supportive team
• Excellent progression opportunities
• Support for appropriate legal awards/recognition

The recruitment process will fully comply with GDPR and other applicable laws. Background checks including CRB / DBS checks will establish your eligibility to work in the UK and suitability to the role.

Equal Opportunities:

Duncan Lewis is committed to equal opportunities and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, gender, religion, belief, or marital status and embraces the diversity of its staff. The Company strives to ensure that our staff reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, which is reflective at all levels within our workforce. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process, please talk to a member of the recruitment team so that any required adjustments can be made in advance.

If you are interested in applying for this vacancy, please visit our website and apply using our online process for your application to be considered.

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BY AGENCIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THE ABOVE VACANCY