Employment Solicitor

Key duties include providing employment advice and support during internal disputes, investigations and processes prior to litigation and defending Employment Tribunal Claims. The Employment Solicitor will advise upon and manage exposure to legal risk.

Role responsibilitiesAll key duties and responsibilities managed with file reviews and supervision of complex matters as required.

1. To provide high-quality, timely advice to the Trust (Employee Relations and Medical Workforce Teams) and support the implementation employment relations best practice and to comply with current employment law requirements.

2. To provide general advice, as required, to the Trust on contentious and non-contentious employment law issues. Such advice may be requested on an urgent basis and can involve liaising direct with workforce, managers, clinical staff, health care professionals and others.

3. To advise Disciplinary Hearing panel members in relation to complex disciplinary hearings as well as supporting the drafting of outcome decisions.

4. To support the Trust in the development and execution of general Settlement Agreements.

5. To provide day to day management of an employment law casework on behalf the Trust.

6. To support the Trust with input into HR policy providing training as appropriate.

7. To establish and maintain good relationships with the Employee Relations and Medical HR Teams, managers, clinicians and external contacts.

8. To provide seminars and deliver training to the HR Teams and other NHS staff in the Trust legal, employment and risk management issues.

9. To liaise with the ER Lead for support as required.

10. To undertake regular reviews of all open casework to ensure case information is accurate and up to date.

11. To maintain a complete audit trail of work product and documentation by filing and indexing documents.

12. To manage Employment Tribunal cases (excluding complex cases) and to represent the Trust at Employment Tribunal. (This will include communicating potentially highly contentious and sensitive information in a hostile/antagonistic atmosphere e.g. taking evidence from witnesses, cross examining witnesses and presenting evidence/submissions).

13. To liaise with third parties such as the Trusts external employment law team when expert advice is necessary or to instruct a Barrister for highly complex ET cases.

14. To maintain oversight of external legal spend in conjunction with the Chief People Officer.

15. To attend regular in-house team meetings to promote sharing of information.

Personal Development

1. To comply with the SRA requirements in relation to Continuous Professional Development (CPD).

Why colleagues think we are"a great place to work!"?

What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?

As part of our BHT family, you'll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.

Alongside NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme, you'll have access to NHS discount schemes.

We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.

What do we stand for?

Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.

Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.

We are working hard to increase diversity at all levels within the trust. We believe a diverse workforce can have a positive effect on both staff wellbeing and patient outcomes.

We welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, candidates with disabilities and care-experienced candidates.

We are proud to achieve the Gold award for the Armed Forces Covenant and support applications from the Armed Forces Community. Please contact Pam.Daley@nhs.net (Armed Forces Covenant Lead) if you would like guidance or assistance with your application.

We make employment decisions by matching our service needs with the skills and experience of candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

Education

Experience

Special Circumstances

Essential: - Able to travel to undertake duties of the post including travelling to other sites and attending Employment Tribunal locations

Skills

Essential: - Ability to communicate in all formats, with all staff, and key stakeholders; - Ability to interpret legislation and adapt into local policy