Senior Associate - Employment - Reading

  • Brandon James
  • Reading, Oxfordshire
  • Jun 17, 2026
Full time Legal

Job Description

Senior Associate - Employment

Reading 6+ PQE 75,000 - 100,000 + Bonus & Benefits

You must have prior law firm experience to be considered for this role.

A specialist employment law firm with a strong national reputation is seeking a Senior Associate to join its growing Reading office.

This is an excellent opportunity for a Senior Associate to join a firm that focuses exclusively on employment law, providing high-quality advice to employers ranging from SMEs and owner-managed businesses through to national and international organisations. The successful Senior Associate will become part of a highly experienced team known for delivering commercially focused advice on complex workplace issues.

The firm has built an impressive reputation for combining technical excellence with practical, business-focused solutions, making it a trusted adviser to clients across a wide range of sectors.

The Senior Associate - Employment Role

The Senior Associate will play a key role in advising employer clients on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters, while also supporting business development initiatives and mentoring junior members of the team.

Work is likely to include:

Day-to-day employment law advisory work

Disciplinary, grievance and performance management matters

Redundancy exercises and restructures

TUPE advice and business transfers

Employment Tribunal litigation

Settlement agreements and negotiated exits

Drafting and reviewing employment contracts, policies and handbooks

Restrictive covenants and post-termination disputes

Senior executive and board-level employment issues

Employment support on corporate transactions

HR advisory and strategic workforce planning

Client training and business development activities

The successful Senior Associate will enjoy significant client contact and will be encouraged to develop long-term relationships with key clients across the firm's portfolio.

The Firm

This specialist practice has established itself as one of the UK's leading employment law firms, advising businesses, senior executives and HR professionals on complex workplace issues.

Unlike many full-service firms, employment law sits at the heart of the business. As a result, lawyers benefit from working alongside employment specialists who are deeply immersed in the market and recognised for their expertise.

The firm's culture is collaborative, entrepreneurial and supportive. Lawyers are encouraged to take ownership of client relationships, contribute to the growth of the business and develop their own professional profile within the employment law market.

The Senior Associate - Employment

The successful candidate is likely to have:

6+ years' PQE gained within a recognised Employment practice

Strong experience advising employer clients

Experience handling both contentious and non-contentious employment matters

Excellent technical knowledge of UK employment law

Strong advocacy, negotiation and drafting skills

Experience managing client relationships independently

Commercial awareness and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving

Interest in mentoring and supporting junior lawyers

A proactive attitude towards business development and networking

Candidates with experience advising corporate clients, owner-managed businesses and HR teams on strategic employment matters will be particularly well suited to this role.

Why Apply?

Join a leading specialist employment law firm

Work exclusively on employment matters

Excellent client exposure and responsibility

Opportunity to build long-term client relationships

Strong progression opportunities

Supportive and collaborative culture

Flexible working arrangements

Competitive salary, bonus and benefits package

For a Senior Associate seeking high-quality employment work, genuine client responsibility and the opportunity to join a firm where employment law is the core focus, this represents an outstanding opportunity to take the next step in their career.