Solicitor, Employment Law Advisory

Job description

Solicitor – Employment Law Advisory (UK)

Base Location: London

The KPMG Business Services function is a cornerstone of our UK business. Operating from 20 UK locations and sitting with KPMG Central Services we do work that matters. 

Within Central Services we are part of a community of experts across a wide range of critical activities who help grow, run, and protect KPMG in the UK.

With over 16,000 employees in the UK, KPMG faces all the challenges that a high calibre employment solicitor would expect to meet in private practice and now has a vacancy for an employment lawyer with experience in employment litigation, internal investigations, transaction support and general advisory work to join its employment team. Basic knowledge of business immigration law and data privacy law is also required.

Why Join KPMG as a Solicitor – Employment Law Advisory

The role is to provide in-house employment law related advisory service on demand and proactively on initiative, to clients of the ELAT team, principally being human resources professionals within KPMG.  The proposal is that the solicitor will assist other team members in relation to all of the employment law requirements of the business including advising on the creation and interpretation of People policies.  There is also a requirement to undertake investigations in high-risk or sensitive conduct cases as and when required.

Advice will be on both contentious and non-contentious employee related matters which occur in KPMG’s offices throughout the UK. This will include providing advice to the in-house employee relations team.  Employment litigation experience is also required.

In carrying out the role, the solicitor will be required to work as the junior employment lawyer joining the existing team currently comprising three solicitors.

The successful candidate will also be required to liaise with and manage external law firms and barristers when appropriate. However, the majority of the employment legal advice is currently carried out in house.

The successful candidate will also be asked to co-ordinate and/or present training/update seminars on relevant topics for internal clients.

What will you be doing?

The role involves advising on all aspects of employment law and experience in the following is sought:

• Employment litigation including drafting claim responses, conducting case management discussions, preliminary hearings and judicial mediation in person, managing disclosure, giving strategic advice on witness statements
• Significant practical knowledge and experience of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) essential, ideally with some public sector TUPE experience
• Outsourcing including drafting and negotiating appropriate warranties and indemnities and advising on best practice in consultation
• Transaction support, all aspects – including advice in relation to due diligence and post-acquisition integration issues
• Advising on collective redundancies, employee consultations and alternatives to redundancy
• Advising on performance management cases with significant legal and/or reputational risk
• Undertaking investigations in high-risk or sensitive conduct cases
• Advising on terms of engagement and recruitment of employees
• Advising on internal employee and partner investigations
• Advising on enforceability of restrictive covenants and associated litigation issues
• Discrimination, equal pay and the increasingly regulated areas of working time, health and safety and 'family-friendly' policies
• Impact of EU legislation on UK employment matters
• Reviewing, drafting and updating employment practices and policy
• Basic understanding of business immigration law and data privacy law.

What will you need to do it?

• No fixed PQE required but successful candidate will likely be between 2-4 years PQE
• The successful candidate will be degree educated (minimum 2:1) and will have gained solid employment knowledge (contentious, transaction support and advisory) and trained and worked in a reputable employment legal team. 
• Significant practical knowledge and experience of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) essential, ideally with some public sector TUPE experience
• Broad and sound technical knowledge of all aspects of employment law
• Experience of both contentious and non-contentious matters
• Ability to operate in what can be a stressful environment and prioritise and manage tight deadlines
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation expertise
• The ability to process wide amounts of complex information quickly and identify and understand the key issues
• Excellent communication skills (both oral and written), with ability to communicate complex issues concisely and clearly

Skills we’d love to see/Amazing Extras:

• Experience in advocacy is highly desirable
• Understanding of business immigration law
• A proactive and pragmatic approach to problem solving

To discuss this or wider Central Services roles with our recruitment team, all you need to do is apply, create a profile, upload your CV and begin to make your mark with KPMG.

Find out more:

Within Central Services we have a range of divisions and specialisms.  Click the links to find out more below:

• Central Services (KBS) at KPMG: www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/experienced-professional/kpmg-business-services/
• Inclusivity and KPMG: www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/people-culture/being-inclusive/
• KPMG Workability and Disability confidence: www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/experienced-professional/applying-to-kpmg/need-support-let-us-know/

For any additional support in applying, please click the links to find out more:

• Applying to KPMG: www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/experienced-professional/applying-to-kpmg/
• Tips for interview: www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/experienced-professional/applying-to-kpmg/application-advice/
• KPMG values: www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/experienced-professional/applying-to-kpmg/our-values/
• KPMG Competencies: www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/experienced-professional/applying-to-kpmg/kpmg-competencies/
• KPMG Locations and FAQ: www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/faq/?category=Experienced+professionals