Legal Counsel - Employment

The Open University; Milton Keynes; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - GBP 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in the UK is seeking an experienced Employment Law Solicitor to provide comprehensive legal support on various employment matters. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 4 years' experience, specialized in employment law, with skills in drafting, advocacy, and stakeholder communication. This permanent position is based in Milton Keynes and offers hybrid working options, providing a balanced work-life experience.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Career development opportunities

Staff benefits program

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor with at least 4 years’ post qualification experience, specialising in employment law.
• Highly developed knowledge of all aspects of employment law.
• Ability to handle Employment Tribunal claims and represent the University.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on employment law issues, both contentious and non-contentious.
• Handle Employment Tribunal claims from inception to final hearing.
• Draft, update, and review employment contracts and policies.

Skills

Employment law knowledge

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Drafting skills

Problem-solving skills

Education

Qualified Solicitor (or equivalent)

Tools

IT skills

Job description

Job Location: Milton Keynes, Remote/Hybrid

Department: Legal Services

Closing Date: 19 February 2026

Weekly Working Hours: 37

Contract Type: Permanent

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: Not Applicable

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

About the Role

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced employment law professional who is a qualified solicitor with at least 4 years’ post qualification experience. The post-holder, together with the existing in-house employment lawyer, will be the main source of legal advice to the University on employment issues.

The role will cover all aspects of employment law and the post-holder will provide legal support and advice to University colleagues in relation to contentious and non-contentious employment law matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing legal advice on day-to-day employment law issues, both contentious and non-contentious. This will cover all aspects of employment law ranging from discrimination, performance management, redundancies, disciplinaries and grievances to Trade Union issues, TUPE transfers, employment status, reorganisations and Freedom of Speech.
• Handling Employment Tribunal claims from inception to final hearing, including drafting and preparing Employment Tribunal documentation and witness statements. Representing the University at Employment Tribunal hearings, and where necessary, instructing and liaising with counsel in relation to any tribunal proceedings where external legal counsel is engaged.
• Conducting and/or contributing to negotiations (if appropriate) on behalf of the University where a dispute has arisen, or in relation to contentious matters.
• Drafting, updating and reviewing employment contracts, policies and procedures, settlement agreements and other employment related documentation, including the employment law provisions of wider commercial agreements.
• Delivering training on employment law topics/issues to the People Services department and others across the University when required.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with key stakeholders, in particular within People, and external legal advisors.
• Communicate legal options and advice to colleagues at all levels, and provide advice on the merits of claims and disputes. Make commercial recommendations based upon risk assessment of the situation.
• Contribute to the management of relationships with external law-firms to ensure best value and consistently high levels of quality and service. Help to monitor and manage external employment law-related spend, ensuring costs are controlled.
• Keep up to date with Continuing Professional Development (CPD) so as to maintain a practicing certificate and to ensure legal advice and documentation are aligned with current law.
• Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

About You

• Qualified Solicitor (or equivalent), with at least 4 years’ post qualification experience, specialising in employment law.
• Highly developed knowledge and understanding of all aspects of employment law. Experience of managing and advising on a wide range of employment related issues (contentious and non-contentious).
• Ability to handle Employment Tribunal claims from Early Conciliation through to final hearing, including advocacy/representation at hearings.
• Strong drafting skills in relation to both contentious and non-contentious work. This includes pleadings, witness statements and other documentation in relation to Employment Tribunal claims; contracts; policies and procedures; settlement agreements; TUPE provisions in commercial agreements; and other employment-related documentation.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, to tight deadlines and to manage own case load as well as to prioritise effectively against conflicting demands.
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, and capable of building effective relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders at all levels of seniority.
• Innovative and pragmatic problem solver with strong commercial awareness and sound judgement.
• Ability to communicate complex legal matters to colleagues in an understandable way and in a manner that can usefully inform individuals with a range of expertise, understanding, experience and priorities.
• Knowledge and application of IT skills.
• Experience of working in a large complex organization.
• In-house legal experience (preferably within the higher education sector or other unionised or public sector environment,).
• If currently working in private practice, experience of clients within the higher education sector or other unionised or public sector environment.

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email [e-mail] quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this will open a new window).

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office it is expected that attendance in the office will be required when appropriate and in response to business needs.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

We anticipate that we will be conducting a two-stage interview process for this role. We expect that first-stage interviews will be taking place online via Microsoft Teams in early to mid-March followed by second-stage face-to-face interviews taking place on-site at our Milton Keynes office in mid to late-March.

Early closing date notification

We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.

How to apply

To apply for this role please submit the following documents:

• CV
• A personal statement of up to 1000 words. You should set out in your statement why you are interested in the role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the required competencies for this role as detailed in the job description.

You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.

If you have any queries or questions about the recruitment process, or regarding your application,please contact:[e-mail] .

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength. We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.