Associate / Senior Associate

Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 500 lawyers and legal professionals based in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: property, corporate services, litigation and private client advisory.

We are defined by our next level law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.

Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do.

With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 40% of our partnership.

Our vibrant, energetic Employment Team boasts some of the best lawyers in the region specialising in all aspects of employment law facing a company's board or the HR professional - from everyday operational challenges through to advising on strategic issues.

The team currently comprises over 30 specialist qualified employment law solicitors, including six partners, making us one of the largest employment teams in the East of England.

We have the strength and depth of expertise to ensure we deliver the service you would expect in respect of technical quality, practical approach and timeliness of advice.

The employment law team has experience in all areas of contentious and non-contentious employment law matters, representing clients from a broad range of public and private organisations as well as individuals and senior executives and we are proud to act for sector leading clients nationwide and some of the East of England’s most important businesses and institutions.

The role will include working with Associates, Senior Associates and Partners in a variety of sectors in which we work including education, health, energy, construction, transport and private client/agriculture. Particular areas of expertise include:

• Transactional corporate support work
• Wrongful and unfair dismissal
• Redundancy and restructuring
• Transfer of Undertakings
• Restrictive covenants
• Boardroom disputes and severance claims
• Employment litigation in the high court, county court and employment tribunal
• Discrimination (including sex, race, disability and age) and equal pay
• General employment issues ranging from maternity rights to general contractual issues
• Service agreements, contracts of employment and staff handbooks
• Employment policies ranging from performance, sickness and misconduct procedures to maternity and parental leave schemes.

You will take accountability to work with our clients, advising and supporting on your own case loads with regular support from the team around you.

To join our Employment team we are seeking a candidate who is a solicitor with ideally 4+ year’s employment law experience gained within a well-regarded city, regional or national firm. 

The successful candidate will have an excellent knowledge of the law yet be able to think commercially and analytically so as to provide accurate and practical advice to company clients and high net worth individuals which is tailored to their needs, with an ability to think clearly under pressure and write concisely. You will also be expected to play an active role in marketing and practice development as well as providing a high level of service to existing clients. 

Birketts has designed a career structure that will help us develop, retain and reward talented people. Promotion is based on assessment of your performance, competency and achievements. Our Talent Management Framework will see you joining as an Associate at 4+ years PQE, with the opportunity to be promoted at 6+ years PQE to Senior Associate and Legal Director / Partner over 10 years PQE.

This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated self-starter to join a successful and friendly team in our Ipswich office in a growing firm which enjoys an excellent reputation. 

• 4 years+ PQE gained within a strong regional, national or City firm.
• Strong academic background.
• A high attention to detail to produce work/ documentation which is consistently of a high standard.
• To have a flexible approach to work to ensure client deadlines are always met and clients are communicated with on a consistent and regular basis.
• Interest in and aptitude for business development.

The information provided in relation to PQE is provided for guidance only and will not be determinative in the recruitment decision. Any applicant with more or less PQE than that mentioned in the vacancy details will be considered on their individual merits.  However, the team is keen to recruit someone who will initially undertake work referred down from the Partners and Senior Associates and provide clients with good value services.

We are committed to recruiting individuals on merits of suitability for each role, on the basis of qualifications and experience. All applications are treated fairly and equally regardless of sexual orientation, race, disability, religious beliefs and any other protected characteristic, ensuring that there are equal opportunities at all stages of the recruitment process.

Benefits

One of the best things about joining Birketts is our rewards package. At Birketts we’re appreciative of the people who work for us and our rewards package is reviewed regularly to reflect that. You can expect to receive:

• 25 days holiday (FTE), increasing to 30 days from Senior Associate plus Bank Holidays
• Long Service holiday award – 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
• Private Healthcare - BUPA (after 6 month's probation)
• Scottish Widows Pension Scheme 
• Staff Profit Share / Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
• Paid CSR day 
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Subsidised gym membership (Gym Flex)
• Electric Car scheme
• Life Assurance   - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
• Agile Working Policy
• Dress for your Day Policy

For further details about this exciting role, please email harriet-griffiths@birketts.co.uk.