UNISON Centre – Assistant Legal Officer, Legal Services

UNISON Legal Services conducts strategically important and often groundbreaking employment litigation on behalf of the Union and its members: successful cases run in-house include the challenge to the imposition of Employment Tribunal fees in the Supreme Court and Lock v British Gas in the ECJ.

You will be required to think on your feet, assist with complex litigation at all levels of the judiciary, assist with advice to the Union’s officials, advise members who may sometimes be distressed. Under supervision, you will provide concise written and verbal legal advice to the Union’s members and staff at all levels of the Union, including HR. You will need to speak effectively on complex legal issues when communicating advice and delivering internal and external talks on the relevant law.

A newly qualified Solicitor/Barrister or a Legal Executive or having or working towards a recognised legal qualification or equivalent, you will be a self-starter, with experience of working in a legal department / practice. You will be able to work as an effective member of the team, organise caseloads efficiently, be proficient in IT, particularly working with spreadsheets and be confident, enthusiastic and have some knowledge of one or more of the following: experience of employment, data protection, contract, trade union, personal injury or contentious or non-contentious commercial law.