Job Description:

Connect2Luton are excited to recruit a Senior Employment Solicitor on behalf of Luton Borough Council.

Main purpose of position:

To provide specialist legal advice and representation to the Council on a broad range of employment law matters.

The postholder will lead on complex and high-profile employment matters, support organisational change programmes, and provide supervision and mentoring to junior lawyers and support staff. The role will ensure that employment practices support the Council's strategic objectives while remaining legally compliant and commercially focused.

You will be responsible to:

• Provide expert legal advice and support to Human Resources, senior managers and senior officers on complex, sensitive and high-profile employment matters. Deliver pragmatic, solution-focused and risk-based advice that balances legal, operational, financial and reputational considerations, enabling informed decision-making and supporting the achievement of the Council's strategic objectives. Deliver training, guidance and legal updates on employment law and best practice to support compliance and informed decision-making across the Council.
• Manage a substantial and complex caseload of employment law matters, providing specialist, strategic and robust legal advice to the Council and its associated companies on the full range of contentious and non-contentious employment issues.
• Advise on complex and high-risk matters including equality, discrimination, harassment and victimisation claims; equal pay and pensions issues; disciplinary, grievance, capability and performance management matters; whistleblowing and protected disclosures; redundancy, restructuring and organisational change programmes; TUPE transfers and outsourcing arrangements; collective consultation obligations; contractual disputes; and employment-related data protection and confidentiality issues.
• Represent the Council before Courts and Tribunals and, in particular the Employment Tribunal, as advocate conducting cases in a way that complies with current procedural requirements and court directions and take all reasonable steps to negotiate settlements and resolve disputes in a cost-effective manner and achieve the judgements/decisions which could reasonably be expected from the available evidence.
• Instruct brief and manage external counsel where necessary; arrange and attend case conferences and hearings; co-ordinate legal representation for Judicial Reviews and other complex or high-profile litigation involving the Council.
• Carry out, a range of other legal work as required, including the preparing legal pleadings, witness statements, settlement agreements, legal submissions and correspondence. Advising on employment aspects of major procurements, collaborations and commercial arrangements where required.
• Provide mentoring, supervision and technical support to junior solicitors, legal officers, trainees and paralegals, support work allocation within the team and case management across the team, ensuring high-quality legal services are delivered.

Skills and Experience:

• Specialist employment lawyer with significant experience of providing sound, pragmatic and business focussed legal advice at senior level on a range of both contentious and non-contentious employment aw matters
• Substantial experience of advocacy before Courts and Tribunals, in particular the Employment Tribunal, and Employment Appeals Tribunal
• Ability to independently manage an extensive and complex employment law caseload
• Ability to use legal case management systems, with the ability to maintain accurate records, manage workflows, monitor deadlines and produce management information
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and to use discretion in dealing with sensitive confidential and legally privileged information
• Ability to deliver legal training and briefings to managers, HR teams and elected members
• Working knowledge of the Civil Procedure Rules
• Comprehensive knowledge of Employment Tribunal procedures
• Comprehensive knowledge of the following area of law: Employment Law, Equal Pay and Pensions
• Working knowledge of GDPR as relates to employment matters and advising on Subject Access and Freedom of Information Act
• Applicant must be a Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (FCILEx) and hold a current practising certificate in England and Wales

About Us

Luton Borough Council have partnered with Kent County Council to create Connect2Luton, a recruitment managed service for all contingent temporary agency, contract, and interim roles at the Council.

Our heritage and being local government owned which means we have a wealth of knowledge and expertise within the public sector, with many of our employees having previously worked for the Council or have supplied previously into the Council, for several years.

We are an equal opportunities employment agency and business that positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

Connect2Luton is a trading style of Luton & Kent Commercial Services LLP - A joint venture between Luton Borough Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Luton is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.