Senior Associate

Senior Associate – Employment Tribunal Advocate

Manchester | Hybrid working | Full-time, Permanent

Be the advocate clients rely on when it matters most.

At Markel Law, we do things differently. We’re an award-winning, SRA-regulated legal business that combines technical excellence with a genuinely people-first culture. Backed by the strength of the Markel Group (a Fortune 500 company), yet operating with the agility and personality of a specialist law firm, we help businesses handle risk, resolve disputes, and move forward with confidence.

We’re now seeking an experienced Employment Solicitor Advocate to join our growing Employment Law team in Manchester, playing a pivotal role in tribunal advocacy and complex contentious work.

The Opportunity:

This is a high-profile advocacy-led role for a solicitor who enjoys being on their feet as much as they enjoy shaping strategy.

You’ll represent employer clients in Employment Tribunal proceedings across the full lifecycle of claims, while also providing pragmatic day-to-day advisory support.

Working closely with colleagues across Manchester and Croydon, you’ll handle a varied and intellectually stimulating caseload aligned to Markel’s SME, professional services, retail and care-sector client base.

Expect real responsibility, autonomy, and the chance to influence how a nationally recognised employment practice continues to evolve.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Acting as advocate in Employment Tribunal proceedings, including preliminary, full merits and remedy hearings
• Delivering persuasive oral submissions, conducting cross-examinations and managing witnesses
• Drafting high-quality pleadings, skeleton arguments, opinions and case strategies
• Advising employer clients on prospects, risk, and settlement strategy
• Handling complex litigation and instructing counsel where required
• Providing commercially focused employment advice, including:
  • Unfair dismissal, discrimination and whistleblowing claims
  • TUPE and collective redundancies
  • Grievance, disciplinary and appeal processes
• Delivering training sessions and legal updates to clients
• Building trusted relationships with clients, HR teams and internal partners

What We’re Looking For:

Essential

• Qualified solicitor with solid experience in employment law
• Strong Employment Tribunal advocacy experience
• Confident handling your own caseload with minimal supervision
• Excellent drafting, analytical and negotiation skills
• Clear, pragmatic communicator who can translate legal risk into commercial advice

Desirable

• Background advising employer clients
• Experience with complex or high-value litigation
• Interest or experience in delivering client training

Personal qualities

• Calm, credible and persuasive advocate
• Commercially minded and solution-focused
• Resilient, organised and comfortable working to deadlines
• Committed to continuous professional development

Why Join Markel Law?

• Competitive salary, annual bonus and comprehensive benefits package
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays (with buy/sell options)
• Private medical and dental cover, life assurance, income protection and travel insurance
• Excellent pension scheme
• Hybrid working and genuine work–life balance
• Career progression within a growing, nationally recognised employment practice
• Access to professional development and leadership programmes
• A collaborative, inclusive culture where expertise is valued and individuality respected

Ready to Make Your Mark?

If you’re an employment solicitor who thrives on advocacy and wants the backing of a supportive, forward-thinking firm, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now to start the conversation.

What’s Next?

Click “Apply Now” to submit a short application and start the conversation.

Markel celebrates the value of a diverse workforce that brings experience and expertise from a wide variety of backgrounds and life circumstances. Whatever your background, if you feel you meet the requirements of this role then we want to hear from you. We are also happy to consider candidates who are looking for flexible working patterns.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with all reasonable accommodations to be able to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions if successful. Please contact us via email at rec@markel.com or call us at 0161 507 5827 to request any accommodations that may be needed. This includes any alternative formats of any documents or information on how to apply offline.

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