UK Employer of the Year 2024: Silver (250+) - Investors in People Awards
The Role
Forbes Solicitors LLP are seeking an Associate Solicitor to join our Employment team at our Gordon House Office in Walton Summit, or our Manchester Office. This role is full time, working 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious Employment Solicitor to progress their career and bring their experience and knowledge into a collaborative and professional team. While the role demands the fast pace, customer focus, and high standards of a law firm, it also ensures a sustainable work-life balance, reflecting the regional area it serves.
This role will be supporting the Commercial Employment team and will have exposure to a varied caseload of Employment matters.
As a key member of our team, you will be responsible for achieving successful outcomes such as:
* Managing a varied case load of Employment matters;
* Attending/representing at Tribunal hearings for a wide variety of hearings, including: -
o Unfair dismissal
o Discrimination
o TUPE
o Redundancy
* Representation at internal client hearings such as disciplinaries, dismissals, grievances, appeals and conducting investigations;
* Provision of written and verbal advice in litigated and non-litigated matters;
* Communications with client, opponents, Courts/Tribunals and third parties to progress files;
* Provision and supervision of value-added services e.g. client helpline calls/emails, legal surgeries, briefing notes etc.
* Supporting the Head of Department, Partners and other advisors on their own cases, and the delivery of the departmental strategy and business objectives;
* Ensuring compliance with internal and external business requirements including ISO:9001 quality control, SRA Principles / Code of Conduct, and Court & Tribunal deadlines;
* Monitoring and reporting on own financial and business performance to deliver work in a profitable manner;
* Act as a mentor to Solicitors Trainees and Support Staff in the team, fostering professional growth and ensuring adherence to best practices;
* Contributing towards internal continuous improvement, innovation and knowledge sharing;
* Inter-departmental support and collaboration on joint files, projects and events;
* Contributing to the development of the departmental business plan;
* Building positive relationships with current/prospective clients and enhancing the Firm’s profile, to drive business growth;
* Contributing to business development including training events, articles/newsletters, Chambers & Legal 500 submissions etc.
The Person
We will be progressing applicants to the next stage based on their demonstrated knowledge, experience, and skills in:
Essential:
* be a qualified Solicitor (or CILEX equivalent) with minimum 3 years PQE;
* have previous experience working within the Employment legal sector;
* willingness to travel throughout England to service clients;
* proven experience of handling own caseload, working to and managing deadlines, alongside the capability to generate fees in accordance with agreed targets;
* demonstrate good client care skills, providing professional and competent legal advice in accordance with the SRA Code of Conduct;
* strong presentation and client handling skills and be commercially astute;
* good knowledge of IT systems, including Word, Outlook and case management systems;
* excellent organisational and communication skills;
* the ability to work collaboratively as part of a supportive team and be reliable and enthusiastic;
* excellent attention to detail;
* align with the Firm’s values.
Desirable:
* have experience in conducting their own advocacy within Employment Tribunals;
If you are interested in this role or in joining Forbes Solicitors, please visit our website to learn more about us.
The Firm
At Forbes Solicitors, we believe in creating a supportive and collaborative environment where our team members can thrive and develop themselves and others. We offer a comprehensive range of legal services and have offices across the North, with deep roots in Lancashire. Our team are known for its genuine, practical advice and passion for achieving the best results. We are real people who listen to each other and work together to deliver exceptional service.
We are proud to have been awarded UK Employer of the Year: Silver (250+) at the Investors in People Awards 2024 and the Firm is ranked as a Legal 500 Top Tier Firm and a Chambers and Partners Leading Firm.
We are a values led Firm and are looking for people who embody our values: authenticity, striving for exceptional results, and unity in teamwork to join our award-winning Firm.
The Benefits
We are dedicated to supporting our people and offer a range of benefits, including:
* 33 days annual leave, including bank holidays, increasing with length of service;
* Annual leave purchase scheme (Subject to T&Cs)
* Enhanced family friendly policies and pay for Maternity, Paternity and Adoption;
* Enhanced sick pay;
* Celebration and Volunteer leave;
* Ongoing professional development and progression opportunities;
* Profit share scheme;
* Additional long service awards;
* Subsidised tuck shops;
* Staff discount on Firm services;
* Health care benefits (Health Cash Back Plan and Mental Health Counselling Services);
* BUPA (Solicitor positions only, for self, not dependents);
* Retail and gym membership discounts;
* Recruitment and legal department referrals (Subject to T&Cs);
* Annual Events.
Forbes is an Equal Opportunities and Disability Confident employer, accredited by Investors in People and ISO 9001 Quality Management certified. We are committed to equal opportunities in employment, service provision, and supplier engagement, and strive to maintain a workforce that reflects the local community.
We kindly remind all recruitment agencies to respect our policy which prohibits the acceptance of speculative CVs, and not submit candidates for a role that we advertise, unless explicitly instructed to do so. Any candidates that are submitted on a speculative basis will not be considered an introduction. Our dedication to this process is part of our commitment to equal opportunities for all applicants.