Head of Employment | Legal 500 Firm | City & West End
Lead, scale, and define the future of a top-tier Employment practice.
This is an opportunity to join a Legal 500 firm currently on a significant upward trajectory. With an established reputation for competing against Top 100 firms and a proven successful expansion in recent years, the firm is seeking an entrepreneurial Head of Employment to spearhead its national employment offering.
This is a pivotal leadership mandate for a senior expert to take full strategic ownership of the Employment department. You will leverage a high-quality international platform to scale a practice area that is fundamental to the firm’s 2026 expansion and long-term success.
The Firm
Founded over 75 years ago, this practice has evolved into a modern, progressive firm with a strong presence across the City, the West End, and key regional hubs. While renowned for market-leading Commercial Property and Litigation teams, the firm is built on a culture of cross-discipline collaboration. You will join a partnership that values people over bureaucracy.
The firm is famous for its investment in talent; it doesn’t just hire solicitors, it builds careers, exemplified by numerous recommended lawyers in the Legal 500 who joined as NQs and rose to senior positions. You will find a supportive, friendly environment that maintains the high standards of a major City firm without the rigid corporate friction.
The Role
As Head of Employment, you will be the strategic lead for a department already recognized by the Legal 500 for its work with trade unions, senior executives, and corporate employers. Your role is to elevate this practice to the next level.
You will lead on a high calibre mix of contentious and non-contentious matters, including:
* Strategic Leadership: Defining the department’s commercial direction and growth targets for the coming years.
* High-Value Litigation: Overseeing complex claims in the Employment Tribunal and Court of Appeal.
* Corporate Support: Collaborating with powerhouse Real Estate and Corporate teams to provide seamless employment advice on M&A and restructuring.
* Mentorship: Harnessing the firm’s reputation for \"excellent training\" to mentor junior solicitors and hand-pick new hires as you expand the team's footprint.
The Candidate
* An established Head of Department or Partner looking for a head of department position
* A Senior Associate or Director ready to make their mark in a formal leadership role
The ideal candidate will bring:
* Deep technical excellence in both respondent and claimant matters
* A proactive growth mindset toward business development and a desire to leverage the firm’s international reach, including its specialised desks for overseas markets.
* Natural leadership qualities to inspire a team and foster a friendly and supportive culture.
* A commercial acumen necessary to identify cross-selling opportunities
What’s On Offer
* A transparent path to equity where performance is rewarded with clear, tangible routes to the top.
* Strategic freedom and the authority to shape your department’s identity, hiring strategy, and operational style.
* Access to top-tier work on a platform that regularly goes toe-to-toe with the UK’s largest firms on complex instructions.
* Significant investment and full backing from the equity partnership to hire, market, and expand your practice.
* A culture that prioritizes balance through a genuine \"flat\" structure and flexible, hybrid working arrangements that reflect a focus on \"law and people.\"
This is a defining career move for a lawyer who wants to be more than just a fee-earner. Here, you will have the resources of a major firm and the agility of a boutique to build a truly significant practice.
For a confidential discussion please apply here or reach out to Freddie Bolwell.