£55,353 to £57,495

Are you an experienced and committed lawyer specialising in employment law ready to manage a vital and dynamic caseload within local government? We are seeking an Employment Lawyer to join our Legal Services team, providing key legal advice and managing cases at the heart of the Council’s service delivery.

You will be joining a small and cohesive team that is dedicated to supporting Employment Law issues within the Council. In this role you will work closely with HR, senior officers and managers across all Council services and directorates.You will play a key role in supporting the Council to manage risk, deliver services effectively and maintain fair and lawful employment practices.

About the Role

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.

You will be expected to provide pragmatic and timely legal advice,and achieve positive outcomes. You will also represent the Council in employment tribunals and other dispute resolution forums when necessary.

This role is on a hybrid basis with the expectation of working from the office up to 2 days per week This requirement depends on needs within the team and your personal circumstances.

About You

We are looking for a pragmatic and highly capable legal professional:

– Qualified solicitor, barrister, or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives with a current practising certificate (‘Authorisation to conduct litigation’ from the Bar standards board for Barristers or ‘Practice rights’ for CILEX)

– Proven experience in a caseload of both routine and complex legal matters.

– Essential post qualification experience in Employment Law.

– Experience in providing clear, accurate legal advice to clients on legal interpretation.

– Experience using a case management system and working toward chargeable hours targets.

– Highly developed written and oral communication skills.

– A collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively as part of a team.

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.

Why Join Us?

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 'Enquire/apply' button below.

Interview date: W/c 15 June 2026

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