Senior Associate/Principal Associate - Employment (Education) - Regional offices outside of London

We are Eversheds Sutherland, a global law firm, with more than 5,000 people across over 30 countries. We’re full-service with deep niche and sector experience. Whatever challenge, wherever in the world, we’re equipped and ready to meet it. We live our values, we’re purposeful and purpose-led. So although the world is fast-moving and rapidly changing, we see it as a place where everyone can thrive. We’re ambitious for our clients, our communities – and for you. Whether you’re starting out on your career or well established, whether you’re a lawyer or in business services. If you’re looking for what’s next, we are too.

What to expect

As a lawyer, you enjoy a variety of work: regional to international and across practice groups. With us, you grow your global mindset. You’re encouraged to put ideas into action and there’s always something new and different to get involved in. We see the fast-moving world as a place where we can all thrive and succeed. We’re excited for what’s next, so with us, you can be too.

About the team:

Our Employment team includes over 220 qualified lawyers across our global office network. A key differentiator of the practice is that a significant part of our work is stand-alone employment work, not linked to corporate activity. Providing a co-ordinated service across all jurisdictions including board level strategic advice as well as day-to-day HR related support, we have experience of advising a wide range of organizations, from blue-chip FTSE and Fortune 500 companies to start-ups and owner-managed businesses. 

Our US Employee Benefits group is ranked in Chambers USA whilst our UK Employment teams have the most areas and individuals ranked in band 1 across both Chambers and Legal 500. In total we have over 40 partners ranked across our international offices in Chambers Global, Europe and Asia-Pacific guides.

The team undertakes contentious and non-contentious works for both national and international clients. Works include mergers & acquisitions, advisory cases, corporate support and advocacy. We also handle over 1,000 Employment Tribunal claims a year.

Role and Key Responsibilities

The UK education sector employs around 1.5m staff and is the second largest employer in UK, generating an estimated £95bn for the UK economy. It is the UK’s fifth most valuable export, estimated to be worth £35bn by 2030.  As such, the sector presents a wealth of exciting opportunities for employment lawyers.

As the leading provider of legal services to the education sector, Eversheds Sutherland’s education sector group is uniquely placed to provide access to these opportunities.   Listed as number one in the Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 legal directories, our education team of over 60 specialist education lawyers is dedicated to finding solutions for the legal challenges faced by higher and further education institutions, private sector bodies, schools and academies. Our Leeds and Manchester offices, provide a centre of excellence for our education employment team and acts for a broad range of high profile, national and international education clients.

We are seeking a Senior Associate or Principal Associate 4+ years PQE employment solicitor to join our employment team, to provide employment law advice to our education sector client base. This role would ideally be based in Leeds or Manchester, but could be based in other regional offices outside of London.

As part of this role you can expect to be advising on a range of local, national and international education clients on:

• a broad range of non-contentious employment matters, including the staffing elements of mergers, collaborations, restructures and international projects
• industrial relations and IR issues
• senior terminations
• equality and discrimination and whistleblowing issues
• sector governance, regulatory, policy and contract work
• complex employment tribunal caseloads facing education sector clients.

You will also deliver client training and lead and support sector-focused business development initiatives and campaigns.

You will form an integral part of an energetic team of specialist employment solicitors within a challenging and rewarding area of law. Whilst we expect all our team members to possess a 'can do' approach to their workload, a supportive and structured approach will be given to supervision, knowledge management and personal development.

Skills and experience

We are looking for:

• 4+ years’ post qualification experience.
• Strong client management and communication skills
• Proactive, collaborative approach.
• Commercial mindset.
• Experience of mentoring junior lawyers. 
• Sector experience in Education is required, having dealt with schools, colleges and/or universities in the UK
• An understanding of the challenges faced by the Education sector

What’s in it for you?

At Eversheds Sutherland, we provide benefits focused on looking after you: your development, your performance, your financial future and your health, as well as providing the opportunity to make a contribution to the world.

• We’re fair, transparent and equitable
• We share in the success of the firm, reward alignment to our values, going above and beyond and your individual performance
• We support flexible ways of working through our remote working policy and commitment to flexible, agile and hybrid ways of working
• We support your health and performance through our dental, healthcare and wellness support
• We support everything you are and all you bring through our powerful commitment to diversity and inclusion
• We provide a platform for your career, whatever your ambitions through our structured professional and personal training, mentoring and development programs
• We provide experience and opportunity through international and cross-function exposure
• We provide an opportunity to give back through our pro bono work and community engagement
• We help you plan ahead through retirement planning, insurance and assurance

Diversity & Inclusion

At Eversheds Sutherland, “Inclusive” is a core business value. We bring together different skillsets, global mindsets and approaches. We foster diversity of thought and the freedom to put ideas into action. We have an inherent respect for the individual. We have a strong belief in collaboration and teamwork. Sharing ideas, asking questions, solving challenges and meeting our clients’ goals: together.

We want all our people to thrive at work and reach their full potential and we work hard to continue to build a diverse and inclusive culture, monitor and report on our progress and impact, and develop our approach. This is reflected in our policies, systems and processes, and in our work with diversity membership organisations.

Many of our people work flexibly in some way and we are open to considering how we can accommodate flexible working arrangements alongside role requirements. If this is important to you, please talk to us about it during the recruitment process.

We want you to perform at your best during our recruitment process. If there is any adjustment or support you need, please contact us so we can discuss how we can best assist you.

For you,

For your success.

And what's next.