Employment Lawyer

Join our Regulatory Team as an Employment Lawyer North Northamptonshire Council is an ambitious, exciting, innovative and supportive place to work. The Council is committed to focused service delivery to improve the lives of our residents. Are you a qualified lawyer looking for a career where your work makes a real difference to people's lives and communities? Join our Legal Services Regulatory Team as an Employment Lawyer and play a key role in supporting the delivery of vital public services across our local authority. As an Employment Lawyer within our in-house legal team, you will work on a diverse and rewarding caseload, providing high-quality legal advice to the client service and stakeholders whilst managing risk, resolving disputes, and ensuring compliance with the law. As a member of the team, you will be supported at a senior level and by your peers in a growing and developing team of professionals. The team's focus is on enabling service delivery, to achieve this we adopt a partnering model with our clients, supporting them to deliver an ambitious agenda for North Northamptonshire., We are looking for a Lawyer specialising in Employment to join our in-house legal team. The role will require you to undertake a caseload of work including:

• Manage a varied caseload of legal matters, ranging in complexity according to experience and under appropriate supervision or direction.
• Draft and review a wide range of legal documents, utilising standard service templates and adapting them as necessary to meet client requirements and expectations.
• Represent the Council at routine hearings, committees, tribunals, and other relevant proceedings.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records within the case management system, including full time recording, billing and file administration.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of legal templates, precedents, processes, and working practices, promoting their effective adoption across the service.
• Support governance, enforcement, and project-based work, including the design and delivery of training to client departments where required.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, professional standards, and Council policies.
• Provide expert legal advice on all aspects of employment law and HR practice.
• Advise on disciplinary, grievance, capability, attendance management, whistleblowing, and safeguarding matters.
• Advise on equality, discrimination, harassment, diversity, and inclusion issues.
• Provide legal advice relating to employment status, contractual matters, and workforce policies., Our values define who we are and how we operate, by forming the foundation for how we interact with our customers, colleagues and provide our services. They are also at the forefront of our decision making and delivery and are:
Customer-focused Respectful Efficient Supportive Trustworthy Our key commitments help ensure that the priorities we make, now and in the future, maintain the necessary breadth of focus in those areas that we believe matter most.

You will:
• Be a Qualified Solicitor/Barrister/FCILEx
• Have evidence of continuing professional development
• Have experience in the specialist area of Employment
• Have experience representing clients in courts/tribunals/hearings/committees.
• Experience in the following areas of work:
+ Manage a caseload of Employment Tribunal claims and related litigation. + Prepare legal pleadings, witness statements, and case strategies. + Represent the authority at Employment Tribunals where appropriate and instruct external counsel when required. + Advise client departments on litigation risks, prospects of success, and settlement options.

We provide a range of great benefits such as an Employee Assistance Programme, an Employee Benefits Scheme, wellbeing support, travel rates at HMRC rates, as well as supporting a range of active Employee Network Groups.

Here at North Northamptonshire Council, we're transforming for the better, using all our creativity and imagination to create the best life for our local people. You'll find that we have a wide range of careers that may be more surprising than you think! Why choose us? We offer a vibrant working environment with:
• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• lots of opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• hybrid and flexible working arrangements, where practicable for service needs to help you with a healthy work-life balance.