Employment Associate / Senior Associate - Top 100 - Southampton

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Associate or Senior Associate to join a Top 100 firm, in their highly regarded Employment team in Southampton. The team is well-established, ranked highly in the leading legal directories, and acts for a broad mix of national and international clients across the public, private, and third sectors.

This role offers excellent prospects for career progression and the chance to develop both technical and business development skills in a supportive and thriving environment. You will quickly build long-term client relationships and play an active role in the continued success of the team. A strong emphasis is also placed on work/life balance, with hybrid working supported (typically 2–3 days per week in the office).

The Role

You will be advising across the full range of employment law, combining contentious and non-contentious matters, with a focus on employer clients.

Work will include:

• Handling employment disputes in the Employment Tribunal and higher courts
• Providing day-to-day HR and strategic advice to clients across a range of sectors
• Supporting corporate transactions with employment input and due diligence
• Drafting and reviewing contracts, policies, and settlement agreements
• Delivering client training sessions on employment and HR issues
• Assisting senior colleagues with the supervision and development of junior lawyers

Clients include leading retailers, NHS organisations, government bodies, and third-sector organisations, offering variety and exposure to interesting and complex matters. You will also be encouraged to play an active part in business development, such as delivering seminars and webinars, writing articles, and attending networking events.

About You

We are looking for a solicitor with:

• Solid technical expertise in both contentious and non-contentious employment work
• A genuine enthusiasm for employment law and a commitment to building specialist knowledge
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and research skills
• A client-focused approach with excellent communication skills (both written and verbal)
• Ability to manage your own caseload and deliver pragmatic, commercially minded solutions
• A collaborative and collegiate attitude, with experience of mentoring or supporting junior colleagues
• Motivation to contribute to business development and client relationship building
• IT proficiency and strong organisational skills

What’s on Offer

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package
• High-quality work with leading national and international clients
• Clear opportunities for career progression and long-term development
• Hybrid working with a healthy work/life balance
• A collaborative and supportive team culture

For a confidential discussion, please contact Jonny Dickens on 07747 520 600 / jonny@vastorecruitment.co.uk