Birketts LLP
Legal Director - Employment
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About Us
Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals and over 600 staff based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.
The Team You Will Join
Our Construction team operates as one team in a joined-up manner across a number of our office locations and encompassing both contentious and non-contentious specialists. The team sits within our wider Dispute Resolution Division. The team's lawyers are experienced in dealing with both contentious and non-contentious construction matters, acting for a variety of both public and private sector clients, including further and higher education colleges, academies, local authorities and NHS Trusts, as well as funders, developers, contractors, sub-contractors and consultants.
Coming from a range of backgrounds, the depth and range of expertise means the team can work together in major and complex transactions and provide a sector based offering for all our clients. There is a strong team ethos which also means there is support and opportunity across the spectrum, ensuring pastoral support at all levels, mentoring, regular communication and a clear route for advancement.
The team’s transactional work includes advising on industry standard form contracts (such as JCT, ICE, NEC, GC/Works, ACE, RIBA, RICS), as well as regularly preparing and advising on bespoke forms of contract, specialising in acting for both borrowers and lenders on the construction aspects of real estate finance transactions.
The team also has a buoyant and busy construction disputes practice, acting for a wide range of clients in relation to litigation, arbitration, adjudication and all forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
The Work You Will Be Doing
The role holder will be responsible for maintaining and growing client relationships, ensuring the delivery of high-quality legal services and contributing to the strategic direction and success of the firm.
You will be commercially astute, technically excellent, and confident in managing complex transactions and an enthusiastic team.
You will be expected to:
- Play a key role in the growth and development of the team
- Leading and mentoring a team of junior lawyers, fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment.
- Build and maintain strong client relationships
- Contribute to thought leadership and sector-focused marketing initiatives
- Advising on general employment issues ranging from maternity rights to general contractual issues
- Drafting and reviewing employment policies ranging from performance, sickness, and misconduct procedures to maternity and parental leave schemes.
- Acting for senior executives in relation to recruitment, service agreements, remuneration arrangements, exits, boardroom disputes and negotiated departures.
- Drafting, reviewing and negotiating employment contracts, executive service agreements, bonus arrangements, incentive plans and workplace policies.
- Advising on restrictive covenants, confidentiality obligations, team moves and the protection of business interests, including enforcement action where appropriate.
- Awareness of boardroom disputes and severance claims
- Employment litigation in the employment tribunal
- Advising multinational organisations on international employment law issues, including cross-border employment matters, global workforce projects, international restructurings and the coordination of advice from overseas counsel.
- Conducting settlement negotiations and drafting settlement agreements on behalf of employers
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What We Are Looking For
Birketts has designed a 'Talent Management Framework' which provides a career structure that will help us develop, retain and reward talented people. As a Legal Director, we typically expect candidates to have a minimum of 8 years PQE.
- Ability to supervise and mentor team members and contribute to team development
- Business development acumen with experience in growing a client base and identifying new business opportunities.
- Strong attention to detail to produce work documentation which is consistently of a high standard
- Professional integrity and a commitment to providing excellent client service
- To be competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, time recording software, case management, Outlook and digital dictation
Any information provided in relation to PQE should be used for guidance only and will not be determinative in the recruitment decision. Applicants will be considered on their individual merits.
Hybrid Working
Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working.
This role attracts a split of 60% office days and 40% working from home days per week.
We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.
Benefits
As a Birketts colleague, you will be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits:
- 30 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays
- Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
- Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
- Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
- Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
- Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
- Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
- Paid CSR Day
- Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
- Subsidised gym membership
- Electric car scheme
- Dress for your Day Policy
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You can find out more on our website: https://www.birketts.co.uk/recognition-reward-benefits/
Inclusivity and Culture
At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth.
Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.
We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.
If you require this advert in an accessible format, please visit https://diversityjobsgroup.com/company/birketts/
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
At Birketts, we recognise the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal profession and recruitment. We welcome innovation and understand that candidates may use AI tools to support their job applications. However, we expect all applicants to use AI responsibly and ethically.
Our expectations regarding AI use in applications:
- Your application should reflect your own voice, experiences, and insights. AI may assist in structuring or refining your responses, but it must not replace your personal input.
- Do not use AI to misrepresent your qualifications, experiences, or skills. Any form of exaggeration or fabrication may result in rejection from the process.
- If you have used AI tools to assist with your application, be prepared to discuss how and why you used them during the interview process.
- Do not submit content generated by AI tools that may include personal or sensitive data not intended for public disclosure.
- AI-generated content should be reviewed and edited by you to ensure accuracy, relevance, and alignment with the role and our firm’s values.
We are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices. The use of AI should enhance, not compromise, your application. We encourage candidates to demonstrate critical thinking, commercial awareness, and a genuine interest in our firm.
If you have any questions about our expectations or the use of AI in your application, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team via talent@birketts.co.uk
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