Salary: Up to £70,000 (dependent on experience / PQE)
Contract: Permanent
Location: Remote
This is an exciting opportunity to join a high performing and professional legal team. ESP Solicitors is a new-model employment law firm and ER technology business. Our group of companies provide integrated support services, including a dedicated legal advisory team, online HR resources, learning and development tools and market-leading ER case management software.
ESP Solicitors provide specialist employment advice to hundreds of businesses, including many well-known household names. We provide market leading employment/HR online resource web portal and ER case management application that delivers a holistic and integrated solution to clients.
The role would suit professionals with at least 8 years PQE, who are working as either Senior Solicitors or Associate in their current firms, or equivalent in-house positions.
There are no billing targets and no requirement or expectation to have a client following, or to undertake business development activities as we have dedicated Marketing and Sales support. There are opportunities for career progression and to take on additional role responsibilities to suit individual ambitions and skill sets.
The role is home based and open from anywhere in the UK. We are, and always have been, a progressive firm in terms of flexible ways of working and this role enables a genuine work life balance. The work is fast paced during core advisory hours, but without a requirement or expectation to regularly undertake additional hours outside of this as is seen in more traditional law firms.
We deliver high quality and prompt advice to employer clients predominantly on a subscription basis meaning clients see their advisor as an extension of their in house team and a true partner, rather than a resource only to be used in extreme cases. The legal team benefit from a greater ability to act in their client's best interests due to building solid long-term relationships and understanding the client's business, pressures and objectives. There is less time spent providing fee estimates and billing. No expectation on new business development beyond doing a really good job for the existing clients, which generally develops new business organically.
We are a close knit team of highly driven and experienced solicitors. Despite being remote we share knowledge effectively and work cohesively and seamlessly, ensuring consistency of advice for clients and an environment where all team members continue to develop and learn from each other. There is a constant daily dialogue, on both a social and work related level, fostering team spirit and camaraderie. Nobody feels isolated or out on a limb. We genuinely support one another as a team without hierarchy, rather than having to compete for quality work and opportunities, or chase targets.
Purpose of the role
Working with your assigned portfolio of clients, you will develop and maintain excellent relationships providing a high-quality legal advice service.
Your primary areas of responsibility will be:
- To provide a high-quality legal advice service to our existing and prospective clients by telephone, email, video call, case management system functionality and occasionally in person.
- To develop and maintain good client relationship skills, gaining clients' confidence and that of other professionals.
- Offering advice on the law, legal procedures, best practice, practical advice, and a wide range of associated issues including options based commercial advice and potential outcomes.
- Draft contracts, handbooks, policies, letters, settlement agreements and other legal documents.
- Maintain high professional standards by attending training, conducting research and self-development to ensure quality, accuracy and effectiveness of advice.
- Undertake responsibility for Employment Tribunal claims and represent clients in Employment Tribunals (though advocacy is not a requirement of the role beyond preliminary hearings for case management)
- Participate in marketing initiatives by drafting articles, blogs, and occasional interviews with journalists/publications.
- Write and deliver training to clients virtually and/or in person.
Key Skills and Experience:
- Qualified solicitor, educated to degree level, and having preferably obtained a 2:1 or above although all applications will be considered.
- Evidence of interest in, and commitment to, the success of the firm and wider business. Relevant experience within a professional services firm would be desirable.
- Evidence of ability to work unsupervised and to seek supervision in all appropriate situations.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Ability to build a relationship from the outset, ascertain facts by asking the right questions and give pragmatic, commercial, options-based advice grounded by an excellent level of technical knowledge and experience.
- Experience of drafting documents, policies, procedures and contracts and an interest in maintaining and improving our online resources accessible to clients.
- Experience of Employment Tribunal work.
- A self-starter, able to demonstrate high levels of initiative and motivation, but also work closely and effectively with other team members.
- Ability to prioritise and manage assigned tasks in an assertive, efficient, and timely manner.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills, demonstrating professionalism in all dealings. Able to deal sympathetically and appropriately with clients and to show empathy with them.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Must be able to multitask and keep calm under pressure.
- High level user of IT systems and resources.
- The flexibility to work outside normal office hours as may be required from time to time.
REF-216 631