Our market leading Employment, Pensions and Immigration team is seeking an experienced employment lawyer. We advise clients across the UK and internationally, including some of the UK's largest and best known employers. We believe that the quality of our clients and the strength of our relationships with our clients speaks volumes about the quality of the service we provide.
The candidate will be based at our London office, which currently consists of two Partners, one Associate, two Solicitors and a Trainee. Our London employment team is highly ranked in the Legal Directories and has ambitions to grow further.
As a Principal (Senior) Associate, this is a great opportunity to play an integral role in growing the London team, working alongside Partners to drive the practice forward. Business development is an important part of this role and for the right candidate this opens up scope for career development to partnership.
You will manage a mixed caseload of contentious and non-contentious employment work and your responsibilities will include:
1. Advising clients in a range of sectors on the full range of employment law issues, including redundancy, disciplinary matters, grievances, whistleblowing, discrimination and detriment claims.
2. Responsibility for conduct of the defence of Employment Tribunal claims.
3. Working with Corporate colleagues to provide transactional support.
4. Advising on the application of TUPE to business transfers and service provision changes in both the public and private sectors.
5. Advising on boardroom disputes.
6. Advising in relation to change and restructuring projects, changing terms and conditions and consultation requirements.
7. Industrial relations advice.
8. Drafting articles and legal updates, training and networking as part of a structured business development initiative.
This list is not intended to be exhaustive and you will have other duties and responsibilities that fall within the remit of the role.
About You
Ideally you will have previous experience and a genuine and demonstrable interest in the above area of work. As the role is varied, we are looking for you to have a flexible approach to the work you do and be able to adapt to different tasks. We also require you to have/be:
1. 6 + YR Qualified Solicitor
2. Previous experience of managing your own caseload
3. Ideally previous experience of mentoring junior fee-earners
4. Excellent team work skills
5. Attention to detail
6. Strong technical knowledge
7. Excellent communication skills
8. Excellent time management and organisational skills
9. Demonstrable business development skills
10. Ability to multi-task and prioritise
11. Ability to work to strict deadlines and targets
12. Flexible approach
If you meet our criteria and think this is a job where you could bring enthusiasm and an eagerness to learn, then we look forward to receiving your application.
Why work for us
Weightmans is a Top 40 law firm with offices throughout the UK. Having been recognised as the leading legal employer and 5th overall employer at the annual Britain's Top Employers awards 2025 and achieved record rankings in Chambers UK.
We are proud to be an accredited living wage employer.
We are truly committed to fostering a culture of equality and diversity, where everyone in the firm is respected and recognised on merit for the work that they do.
We strongly encourage applications from people of all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations and disabilities. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustment at any stage of the application process.
Please feel free to note your preferred pronouns in your application.
Work for a firm where people matter – work for Weightmans – We See the possibility in you.
As well as being immensely proud of the work we carry out for our clients and the culture we provide to our people we offer a wide range of benefits including;
1. 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rated for part time)
2. Hybrid working including provision of home office equipment
3. Healthcare cover/ Medicash
4. Pension plan
5. Life Insurance 4 x salary
6. Interest free travel loan scheme
7. Employee Assistance Programme including counselling, legal and consumer advice service
8. Discounted gym membership
9. Discounted dental scheme
10. Cycle to work scheme
11. Offers & discounts
12. Great reward and recognition scheme
Please note
1. We encourage candidates to speak to us direct/apply direct for the opportunities we have available.
2. Any reference to experience or PQE in our adverts or job descriptions is to be used as a guideline only. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and with different levels of experience who can demonstrate that they fulfil the requirements of the role.
3. The successful candidate appointed to this role will be subject to our standard background checking process, and any offer of employment made is conditional upon successful completion of those checks. Further details can be obtained from the Recruitment team.
4. We are open to part time/job share applicants.
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