Specialist Litigator (Employment)

Specialist Litigator – Employment Law

Home-based with weekly attendance at Bristol, Hook or Birmingham

Permanent

Full Time

Competitive salaries and excellent benefits

Make UK is seeking an experienced Employment Tribunal Litigator to join our Employment Law team. This is a hands-on litigation role for a technically strong employment lawyer who enjoys managing complex tribunal cases, advising employers pragmatically, and delivering excellent client service.

You will manage contentious employment matters from start to finish, provide strategic legal advice to our members, and represent employers in Employment Tribunal proceedings across a broad range of claims.

Key responsibilities

Employment Tribunal litigation

• Manage a varied caseload of Employment Tribunal claims from pre-claim stage through to final hearing
• Draft pleadings, witness statements, case management documents and tribunal bundles
• Conduct advocacy at preliminary hearings and, where appropriate, final hearings
• Liaise with ACAS on early conciliation and settlement negotiations
• Oversee disclosure, evidence preparation and overall litigation strategy

Legal advice & risk management

• Provide clear, practical advice on complex employment law issues including discrimination, unfair dismissal, whistleblowing, redundancy, contractual disputes and worker status
• Assess litigation risk and advise members on strategy, prospects and outcomes
• Work closely with HR, senior leaders and other business units to support member retention and recruitment
• Assist with identifying and supporting opportunities for additional fee-paying work
• Support the Head of HR & Legal and contribute to wider organisational objectives as required

Wider employment law support

• Provide timely advice to members on employment law and employee relations matters (by telephone, in writing and in person, including via the National Advice Line)
• Draft and review contracts of employment, policies, procedures and related documentation
• Maintain a high level of professional knowledge through ongoing research and training

Qualifications & experience

• Qualified solicitor, barrister or FCILEx (or equivalent experience)
• Proven experience managing Employment Tribunal litigation
• Advocacy experience desirable but not essential (training available)
• Strong knowledge of UK employment law and tribunal procedure
• Excellent drafting, analytical and negotiation skills
• Commercially aware with the ability to explain complex issues to non-lawyers
• Comfortable managing a diverse caseload under pressure

With over 125 years of experience, Make UK is a leading provider of essential business support and a champion for manufacturing industry in the UK. Make UK has the close ear of Government and is a trusted provider of essential services for world leading manufacturing companies across the country. Everything we do is designed to inspire British manufacturers to compete, innovate and grow.

Make UK staff enjoy a good benefits package and values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Benefits to include, but not limited to: Free parking, meal service on site, no bank holiday/weekend work, flexible hours, health cover, matched pension contributions up to 8%, and life assurance.

We are committed to supporting the Armed Forces Community and we recognise the contribution that Service personnel, both regular and reservist, veterans and military families make to our organisation and have pledged to support this by signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant.

Our Values at Make UK: Inclusivity & Diversity, Integrity, Innovation, & Collaboration