JLL is seeking an experienced employment law solicitor to serve as UKI Labour and Employment Counsel. This role plays a critical position in supporting JLL's UK operations by providing sophisticated legal counsel on complex employment and labour law matters. The successful candidate will work collaboratively within our employment law team while independently managing a diverse portfolio of employment and labour relations matters. The role requires a strategic legal professional who can provide practical counsel to business leaders, ensure compliance with evolving UK employment legislation, and effectively manage complex employment disputes and trade union relations. This position offers significant growth opportunities within JLL's dynamic legal department and the chance to impact employment practices across a leading global organisation's UK operations.
Employment and Labour Law Responsibilities
* Provide day‑to‑day legal guidance to HR, ER colleagues, UK Legal, and business leaders on technical employment legal matters and UK employment legislation interpretation.
* Provide comprehensive guidance on UK wage and hour matters, including Working Time Regulations 1998 compliance, holiday pay calculations, and minimum wage obligations.
* Create a comprehensive framework for compliance with relevant portions of UK Employment legislation.
* Monitor and ensure compliance with the Employment Rights Act 1996, including unfair dismissal, redundancy procedures, and statutory employment rights.
* Advise on equality and discrimination matters under the Equality Act 2010, including reasonable adjustments, harassment, and protected characteristics.
* Draft, review, and revise employment agreements, contracts of employment, restrictive covenants, settlement agreements, and consultancy arrangements compliant with UK law.
* Collaborate with legal and HR COEs on periodical and ad hoc reviews of template employment contracts, offer letters, confidentiality agreements, and contractor arrangements for legal compliance and validity.
* Provide guidance on UK Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR compliance in employment contexts, including employee monitoring and data processing.
* Collaborate with Data Privacy team to advise on ER cases involving lawful disclosure of employee records, privacy rights, retention periods, and GDPR compliance from an employment law perspective.
* Review and update HR/ER policies (sexual harassment, disciplinary, grievance, redundancy, equal opportunities, whistleblowing, etc.) to ensure alignment with current legal standards.
* Advise on statutory leave entitlements, including maternity, paternity, shared parental leave, and flexible working rights.
* Monitor and coordinate preparations for legislative and regulatory changes, analysing and reporting on changes to UK employment law and related HR regulations.
Labour Law & Trade Union Relations
* Manage trade union recognition procedures under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
* Provide strategic advice on collective bargaining negotiations and industrial relations matters.
* Handle collective consultation obligations, including redundancy consultations and TUPE transfers.
* Advise on strike action, industrial disputes, and picketing regulations.
* Support management of works councils and employee representative bodies.
* Coordinate responses to trade union correspondence and formal industrial action notices.
* Provide guidance on union membership rights and trade union activities in the workplace.
* Provide central coordination and management of large‑scale redundancy processes, TUPE, and organisational change with legal oversight.
Strategic Business Support & Regulatory Compliance
* Provide legal advice to support Culture and Employee Experience initiatives whilst ensuring UK regulatory compliance.
* Advise on IR35 and off‑payroll working regulations for contractor arrangements.
* Review commercial contracts and provide employment‑related guidance, particularly regarding TUPE implications.
* Handle employment aspects of business transfers, mergers, and acquisitions under TUPE Regulations 2006.
* Support cross‑border or multi‑jurisdictional employment matters by advising on UK‑specific aspects of global policies or harmonisation workstreams.
Employment Tribunal Proceedings & External Counsel Management
* Act as internal point of contact for correspondence with employees' or ex‑employees' solicitors in dispute resolution, early conciliation, mediation, or pre‑litigation negotiation processes.
* Coordinate responses to solicitor‑represented employment proceedings and Employment Tribunal claims.
* Manage early conciliation and settlement processes, including via ACAS, coordinating internal information gathering and liaising with ACAS during formal processes.
* Draft or review settlement terms (COT3s, settlement agreements) and advise on risk, precedent, and cost‑benefit outcomes.
* Draft and negotiate settlement agreements directly with claimants' solicitors.
* Conduct factual and legal analysis of potential claims, drafting internal position advice notes and advising on merits and remedies.
* Collaborate with UK Litigation and support case preparations, collating witness evidence, drafting timelines and bundles, liaising with external counsel.
* Manage relationships with external solicitors handling ET claims, reviewing pleadings and advice, centrally tracking and reporting on cases.
* Oversee ACAS early conciliation processes and settlement negotiations.
* Handle Employment Appeal Tribunal matters and judicial review proceedings where employment rights are concerned.
* Manage relationships with regulatory bodies including the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
* Coordinate responses to investigations by HMRC, HSE, and other relevant UK authorities.
Litigation & Risk Management
* Provide legal guidance on ER investigations involving potential legal claims (e.g., discrimination, whistleblowing, breach of contract), ensuring procedural fairness and defensibility.
* Advise on internal investigations of potential ethics and compliance violations, misconduct, and criminal conduct matters, including grievance procedures, disciplinary matters, and whistleblowing concerns.
* Advise on legal privilege and disclosure reviews in contentious cases and during employment disputes.
* Manage employment‑related aspects of regulatory investigations and enforcement actions.
* Provide guidance on performance management, capability procedures, and fair dismissal processes.
* Handle complex termination matters including senior executive departures and compromise agreements.
* Assess and summarise trends in employee disputes or claims, preparing reports for senior HR, Legal stakeholders and UK ExecCo members.
* Assess and mitigate employment‑related risks across UK business operations.
Operational Excellence
* Collaborate with Human Resources and Culture and Employee Experience teams to align legal requirements with business objectives.
* Work within the employment law team structure while maintaining independent judgment on complex matters.
* Run briefing sessions for HR and ER colleagues and management on policy updates and legal compliance.
* Develop and deliver workshops or written guidance for HR/ER colleagues and senior stakeholders on employment law updates, managing risk, and defensible decision‑making.
* Ensure UK employment practices align with corporate values whilst maintaining legal compliance.
* Provide strategic input on UK workforce planning and restructuring initiatives.
Key Competencies
* Collaborative Leadership: Ability to work effectively within a team environment while managing independent responsibilities.
* Business Acumen: Understanding of how employment law intersects with business operations and strategic objectives.
* UK Legal Expertise: Deep knowledge of UK employment and labour law, including recent legislative developments and case law.
* Risk Assessment: Sophisticated ability to identify, assess and mitigate employment‑related risks.
* Communication Excellence: Proven ability to present complex legal issues to diverse audiences including HR professionals and business leaders.
* Stakeholder Management: Experience managing relationships with trade unions, regulatory bodies and external legal counsel.
* Continuous Learning: Commitment to staying current on evolving employment law developments.
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