Associate / Senior Associate - Employment

Associate/Senior Associate - Employment

Vacancy Title: Associate/Senior Associate - Employment

Office: Birmingham

Contract Type: Permanent

Closing Date: 30 October 2026

Location

• City: Birmingham
• Region: West Midlands
• Country: GB
• Postcode: B1 1

Application Details

• Closing date for applications: 2026-10-09
• Application submitted at: 2027-01-08T11:01:18.803
• Reference: 0268

Introduction

We have an exciting opportunity for an employment solicitor to join our top-ranked Birmingham team.

The Role

As our Tier 1 Birmingham Employment team continues to grow, we are seeking an ambitious Employment Solicitor to join us. This role offers the opportunity to build a strong reputation in the market, developing specialist expertise while advising a diverse range of clients.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to make a real difference across the education sector, supporting over 120 universities, colleges, academies, and educational institutions across the UK as well as a diverse range of commercial employers, including clients in health and care, automotive, manufacturing, retail, and beyond.

You will undertake a broad mix of contentious and non-contentious employment work. The work is technically varied and interesting, arising from the size and complexity of the clients we work for. As well as advisory and Employment Tribunal work, you will be involved in delivering our annual programme of training, seminars and legal updates to clients and targets, and will assist with business development opportunities to promote the firm's practice.

You do not need to have existing sector experience as support and training will be provided, so all you need is an inquiring mind and an interest in working with great clients. We do leading work in our sectors including, for example, the intersection between equality and freedom of speech in the education sector.

The Person

• Being a qualified solicitor, broadly in the region of 1-5 years' PQE.
• Clear enthusiasm for employment law with previous experience of advising on employment law.
• You will possess a high level of IT skills, together with marketing and business development skills.
• Excellent written English for drafting purposes.
• Excellent presentational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and team skills with ability to build good relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Very good time and documentation management skills and have keen attention to detail.
• Ideally, you will have a keen interest in the use of AI and an innovative mindset which looks for how to do things better.

The Team

You will work closely with partners Siân Jackson, Jog Hundle, Kate Watkins, Richard Barker, and Richard Santy, as part of our highly regarded Birmingham Employment team.

The Birmingham team sits within Mills & Reeve's national Employment, Pensions & Immigration Service Line, comprising more than 90 lawyers across seven offices, supported by a team of dedicated Professional Support Lawyers.

Our cross-office structure provides access to high-quality, varied work, regular training, sector and team events, and a strong network of colleagues across the firm. You'll have the opportunity to build specialist expertise while benefiting from excellent supervision, collaboration and peer support.

As part of our national team, you'll work with colleagues across offices and sectors, with the support and encouragement to develop your skills, profile and career at Mills & Reeve.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

The Benefits

As you'd expect, we offer a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits. Details about our core benefit offering can be provided upon request.

Pre-employment Screening

If we offer you a role, we will conduct comprehensive pre-employment screening. This includes, but is not limited to, a basic DBS, verification of your right to work, a three-year employment history, and a self-declaration to assess your character and suitability for the role. Full details of our pre-screening employment process are available upon request.

The Firm

Mills & Reeve is centered on achieving more for clients, their businesses, and the wider communities we serve. Our clients and their industries benefit from our knowledge and learning, and receive consistent experiences with no surprises. We tell them what they need to know when they need to know it.

We build personal relationships, with advice individually tailored to individual need. And if clients need things we don't offer, we draw on our network to give recommendations. Our 1,250 plus people and over 750 lawyers share one vision - achieving more for clients.

By joining Mills & Reeve, you'll have the chance to build your skills and experience within a firm that's not only ranked in the top 50 UK law firms, but also one that truly values their people. Our mantra is "Achieve more. Together." which we feel embodies our purpose and is more than just a catchphrase! We're also ranked in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list, and were recently awarded Platinum Investors in People.

Everyone's Commitment

Everyone at Mills & Reeve brings a unique perspective and ideas to the team, and we do everything we can to help each person thrive. We're committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment, are happy to consider flexible working arrangements, and want to achieve the right balance for both our people and the firm. We encourage everyone to ask if they feel they need any workplace adjustments, and will do our best to support with these.

To find out more about our diversity and inclusion work, visit our website.

#s1-Gen

delivering our annual programme of training, seminars and legal updates to clients and targets, and will assist with business development opportunities to promote the firm's practice.You do not need to have existing sector experience as support and training will be provided, so all you need is an inquiring mind and an interest in working with great clients. We do leading work in our sectors including, for example, the intersection between equality and freedom of speech in the education sector.The person

• Being a qualified solicitor, broadly in the region of 1-5 years' PQE. Clear enthusiasm for employment law with previous experience of advising on employment law You will possess a high level of IT skills, together with marketing and business development skills Excellent written English for drafting purposes Excellent presentational skills. Excellent interpersonal and team skills with ability to build good relationships with clients and colleagues., Very good time and documentation
  
  management skills, and have keen attention to detail.Ideally, you will have a keen interest in the use of AI and an innovative mindset which looks for how to do things better.The teamYou will work closely with partners Siân Jackson, Jog Hundle, Kate Watkins, Richard Barker, and Richard Santy, as part of our highly regarded Birmingham Employment team.The Birmingham team sits within Mills & Reeve's national Employment, Pensions & Immigration Service Line, comprising more than 90 lawyers across seven offices, supported by a team of dedicated Professional Support Lawyers.Our cross-office structure provides access to high-quality, varied work, regular training, sector and team events, and a strong network of colleagues across the firm. You'll have the opportunity to build specialist expertise while benefiting from excellent supervision, collaboration and peer support.As part of our national team, you'll work with colleagues across offices and sectors, with the support, from our knowledge and learning, and receive consistent experiences with no surprises. We tell them what they need to know when they need to know it.We build personal relationships, with advice individually tailored to individual need. And if clients need things we don't offer, we draw on our network to give recommendations. Our 1,250 plus people and over 750 lawyers share one vision - achieving more for clients.By joining Mills & Reeve, you'll have the chance to build your skills and experience within a firm that's not only ranked in the top 50 UK law firms, but also one that truly values their people. Our mantra is "Achieve more. Together.", which we feel embodies our purpose and is more than just a catchphrase! We're also ranked in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work list, and were recently awarded Platinum Investors in People.and finallyEveryone at Mills & Reeve brings a unique perspective and ideas to the team and we do everything we can to help
each person to thrive. We're committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment, are happy to consider flexible working arrangements, and want to achieve the right balance for both our people and the firm. We encourage everyone to ask if they feel they need any workplace adjustments, and will do our best to support with these.To find out more about our diversity and inclusion work, visit our website.Vacancy Title:Associate/Senior Associate - Employment Office:Birmingham Contract Type:Permanent Closing Date:30 October 2026