Employment Senior Associate

Role overview

The team

Our Employment, Engagement & Equality team comprises a core group of London and Hong Kong based Partners, with Senior Associates/Associates/Trainees based in London, Bristol, Hong Kong and Singapore. The team regularly works with colleagues across our Corporate and Commercial teams, Commercial Disputes, Data Protection, Financial Services, Insurance and Tax, to deliver specialist advice.

Ranked in the legal guides and award winning, we are recognised for our work across a range of high value and high-stakes employment litigation, corporate governance, and advisory matters. We are experts on whistleblowing, restrictive covenants, and bonus disputes. We have acted on groundbreaking cases that have clarified both domestic and international law, including in the Court of Appeal, the UK Supreme Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union.

We are immersed in DEIB, focusing on supporting and advising our clients, industry bodies, and leadership teams in the evolution of behaviours, attitudes, and culture that advance their vision of a more equitable workplace.

The role

We are looking to recruit a talented Senior Associate (c.6+ years of PQE ). You will support a busy and collaborative practice advising on a broad mix of contentious and non-contentious employment work, including standalone advisory matters and transactional support. Experience in our core sectors, including Consumer Brands Retail and Financial Services, will be an advantage.

Depending on experience and supervision needs, your work is likely to include:

• Advising employers on day-to-day employment issues (contracts, policies, grievances/disciplinaries, absence management, family leave, discrimination/whistleblowing risk, restructuring support).
• Managing contentious matters, including Employment Tribunal claims.
• Drafting and negotiating settlement agreements and associated documents.
• Providing employment support on corporate transactions (due diligence, risk reporting, drafting/negotiating employment aspects of transaction documents, post-completion integration support).
• Supporting partners and senior lawyers on larger projects, while taking increasing ownership of smaller matters with appropriate supervision.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across Bristol and London, and coordinating (where needed) with RPC teams in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Knowledge, skills and experience

• 6+ years of PQE or equivalent relevant expertise.
• A strong expertise in employment work, with exposure to contentious and non-contentious employment matters.
• Delivers legal and commercial solutions, working collaboratively with clients and colleagues to provide an outstanding client experience.
• Takes responsibility for managing and developing strong relationships with clients based on an understanding of their business objectives.
• Committed to business development to further grow the practice. Identifies and shapes commercial opportunities encouraging others to participate.
• Works efficiently and commercially and understands the importance of financial hygiene. Shares their understanding with the team.
• Adopts a commercial mindset when pricing, resourcing and using technology to manage matters and understands the impact.
• A collaborative leader within a team who coaches and develops junior team members to achieve their full potential.
• Committed to being part of a supportive, inclusive and collaborative firm culture.

About us

RPC is where you'll thrive. You'll join a team that leads by working together, where diverse perspectives are valued, curiosity is encouraged, and everyone pulls in the same direction to deliver commercially minded work that makes a real difference for our clients. It's this collaborative approach that's building RPC to become the destination firm in our chosen markets.

We work with the biggest names in retail, insurance, technology, media and the professional and financial services worlds. Our international reach means we support clients wherever their business takes them. It's this focus that provides the platform for deep experience with the clients and matters that define our sectors.

As a lawyer or business services professional, you'll be a part of a firm that inspires belonging - where people are involved, valued and trusted to do their best work. Flexibility and trust sit at the heart of how we work.

And we're not standing still. Across every one of our offices, we're deepening our international reach and investing in where we're headed. RPC is a firm with momentum, and there's real opportunity to help shape it.

Diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging

We are problem solvers. Whether in front of clients or behind the scenes. To solve problems creatively for clients, we need diverse collaborative thinking; drawing on different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives. That means that everyone who either applies to, or works for, the firm is treated equitably. We believe in removing barriers to equal access not least because our people define us and define what we do. If you need support and adjustments to do your best work, whether that's during the recruitment process or throughout your time at RPC, we're here to help.

Flexible working that supports your commitments outside of work is an important part of our culture and, where possible, we will support this across all roles. Please get in touch with our recruitment team if you have any questions about our hybrid working approach or flexible working policy.

Recruitment policy

RPC manages all vacancies via our recruitment team. When external support is needed, roles are released to select agencies subject to RPC standard terms and conditions.

Speculative or unsolicited CVs or profiles sent to any RPC employee or partner will not be accepted as an introduction, and no fee will be payable. For full details of our Agency Policy, please go to our website.