Employment Associate

Employment Associate (mid-level)

London or Cheltenham

Full-time. Permanent.

We are an award-winning law firm that specialises in media, entertainment, technology and intellectual property. We have around 250 people based mainly in London, Cheltenham and Brussels.

About the role

Our Employment team advises across the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious work for employers and senior executives, with a particular focus on the core Wiggin sectors as described above. We are a growing and ambitious team that's building a strong reputation and presence within the market and are looking for someone excited to be a part of this journey.

We are looking for a mid-level Employment Associate who is experienced, confident and aspiring. You can expect a broad mix of employment work. This will include employment dispute resolution and litigation, contract and policy drafting, HR advisory work, HR transformation projects, corporate support and outsourcing, as well as some senior executive work.

You will take a supporting role on a variety of matters, advising on both contentious and non-contentious employment law for a variety of clients, with opportunities to also lead and manage matters where appropriate. Working with some of the worlds' leading companies in the sectors in which we operate, you will build solid client relationships, contribute to business development and support the continued growth of the practice.

You will have your own client contact from day one and will be trusted to run matters with appropriate partner and senior associate support. Key responsibilities:

• Advising employers (and occasionally senior executives) on the full range of employment issues, including discrimination, whistleblowing, redundancies, TUPE, working time, pay and benefits, and disciplinary/grievance issues
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating employment documentation, including contracts, policies, settlement agreements, consultancy agreements and restrictive covenants
• Managing or assisting with Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation, including drafting pleadings, witness statements and instructions to counsel, and handling disclosure and case management
• Providing employment support on corporate and commercial transactions (e.g. M&A, outsourcing, joint ventures) and working closely with colleagues in other practice areas and sector groups
• Helping clients manage complex restructurings and workforce change programmes, including collective consultation, information and consultation obligations, and trade union / works council engagement
• Contributing to client training, horizon-scanning updates and thought leadership on employment issues affecting the media, entertainment and tech sectors
• Supporting the supervision and development of more junior lawyers and trainees on employment matters
• Participating in business development activities - pitching, sector events, client seminars, and building long-term relationships with key clients

About you

We are more interested in what you can do than ticking every box, but as a guide we expect that:

• You are an England and Wales qualified solicitor (or equivalent) with solid, demonstrable experience in UK employment law
• You are likely to have around 3-5 years' post-qualification experience in employment law, but this is a guide only and we can consider candidates with more or less experience where they can show the right skills and level of autonomy
• You have strong experience across both contentious and non-contentious employment work for employers; experience in Tribunal litigation and/or High Court disputes would be an advantage
• You are comfortable running matters day-to-day with partner oversight, including managing client expectations, budgets and deadlines
• You have excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal points clearly and commercially to non-lawyers
• You enjoy working directly with clients and building relationships, and you're confident dealing with HR teams, in-house counsel and senior stakeholders
• You're curious about or have a passion for our sectors, whether that's film and TV, streaming, video games, sports, music, publishing, betting and gaming, tech platforms or content-rich technology, and interested in the way evolving business models, AI and data are reshaping the world of work
• Experience of acting for clients in media, entertainment, technology, video games, betting and gaming or sports is helpful but not essential; genuine enthusiasm for learning about these industries is just as important.

Our Culture

Our culture is unique among law firms - both in what we expect from our people and the way we create value in the industries we serve. We empower our people, expect commitment and excellence, and celebrate when we achieve it.

Our values are at the heart of everything that we do and define Wiggin as a workplace: being visionary, authentic, unified, responsible and excellent across-the-board.

There isn't a typical Wiggin person. We aim to build teams that are diverse in thought, perspective and experience to provide a more rounded service to our internal and external clients.

We operate a discretionary hybrid working model allowing 2 days per week working from home. We offer an attractive remuneration package including 25 days' holiday (plus birthdays off), private medical insurance, permanent health insurance and more from your first day of employment.