£55,353 - £57,495 per annum

Hackney Council is looking for an Employment Lawyer to join our legal team. You'll be crucial in providing expert legal advice and support across a wide range of employment law matters for the Council.

You will be responsible for advising on both Routine and complex employment issues, including disciplinary proceedings, grievances, dismissals, discrimination claims, and TUPE transfers. You will also be instrumental in drafting and reviewing employment contracts, settlement agreements, policies, and procedures, ensuring they align with current legislation and best practice.

Working closely with various Council departments, you will be expected to provide pragmatic and timely legal advice, help to mitigate risks and achieve positive outcomes. You will also represent the Council in employment tribunals and other dispute resolution forums when necessary.

We're looking for someone with excellent analytical and communication skills, who can effectively convey complex legal concepts to a variety of audiences. You should be highly organised, politically astute, and capable of working autonomously while also collaborating effectively within a team. Experience in a public sector environment is desirable, but not essential.

If you're a dedicated Employment Lawyer seeking a challenging and rewarding role within a dynamic local authority, we encourage you to apply.

Hackney is one of the most dynamic and progressive local authorities in the UK. We are a resilient, vibrant, and creative borough in the heart of London, with strong, diverse communities and a powerful set of shared values.

Over the past twenty years, the Council has built up first-class services, outstanding public infrastructure, and a reputation for excellence, innovation, and ambition. We are leading the way on essential work such as our fight for equity in Hackney with a particular focus on becoming an actively anti-racist borough. But the work doesn’t stop there, we are proactive in our approach to bringing fairness to all aspects of life including gender, neurodiversity and across the poverty divide.

As a Council, our most outstanding asset is our staff, who are highly dedicated to serving our residents and committed to our goals as an organisation.

If you want to work in a place where you can represent our values so we achieve the best for our residents, please click on the apply button below.

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Therefore, we do not accept supporting statements or CV’s.

To proceed with your application, you will need to create an account and submit your application.

As part of the application process, you will need to complete a number of competency based questions. These questions allow you to demonstrate your suitability for the role and provide examples of your skills, knowledge and experience outlined in the job description.

We understand the benefits of using AI in the workplace. However, if you are thinking of using this tool to submit your application, we ask you to think about what value it will add. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

We are also working towards our vision, which is to be a place for everyone; where residents and staff can be proud; a place that celebrates diversity and where everyone can feel valued, included and involved. In order to achieve this, we look for people who are: Proud; Ambitious; Pioneering; Open; Proactive; Inclusive.
Hackney Council works to eradicate discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. We also recognise that people can be disadvantaged by their social and economic circumstances, so we will also work to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage caused by social class. We also welcome those interested in flexible working.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled people, as this group is currently under represented in our workforce.

The Council has a dedicated employment support service (Hackney Works), which offers Hackney residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you are thinking about applying for a job, please contact the Hackney Works team to find out what support is available: hackneyworks@hackney.gov.uk

Closing date: 22 March 2026
Interview date: W/c 30 March 2026

For further information or to apply, please click on the 'Enquire/Apply' button below.