Corporate – Legal – Employment Lawyer – Assistant Vice President

The HR Law Practice Group at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. operates through corporate teams in the U.S., Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific (APAC) and Americas ex-US.

As an employment lawyer you will be part of a team of seven lawyers in London, providing employment law advice across all lines of business and functions in all locations in EMEA where the firm has a presence. To provide support to Human Resources functions across EMEA, you will be seeking advice from local external counsel where appropriate, and directly delivering employment law advice. There will also be cross-border employment issues that arise with the US, Americas ex-US and APAC with which you will assist. The role will form part of the EMEA Legal Department of the firm.

If you are articulate and pragmatic self-starter who is capable of working confidently and effectively, who has a willingness and ability to learn quickly this role is for you.

Job responsibilities

• Managing employment litigation in EMEA, instructing and liaising with outside counsel, supervising disclosure, proofing witnesses, reviewing draft documents, discussing strategy and advising the business and HR
• Providing employment law advice on projects across EMEA and advising on local requirements, including liaising with external counsel where appropriate
• Supporting Employee Relations and other HR functions with advice on grievances, disciplinaries, dismissals, appeals, redundancies, recruitment, contracts of employment, termination agreements, restrictive covenants, equality, diversity and inclusion matters and employee data protection issues
• Advising in relation to transactional matters in EMEA, which often involve more than one jurisdiction
• Advising on investigations of fact in relation to business and conduct issues
• Providing support on the implementation of legal developments and firm initiatives, including reviewing, drafting and updating related materials
• Advising on regulatory issues in the context of conduct and remuneration matters

Required qualifications, capabilities, and skills

• Experience of practising employment law from either the employment department of a law firm, in-house legal team or a barristers’ chambers, preferably with some experience of financial services employment litigation experience
• Strong academic qualifications
• Sound knowledge of all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, whistleblowing, grievance procedures, disciplinaries, changes to terms and conditions, redundancies, and TUPE & reorganisation impact
• Experience in employment litigation
• Ability to work collaboratively and to build effective partnerships with clients and stakeholders
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and within tight deadlines
• Lawyer must be licensed to practice law and a member in good standing in the state/jurisdiction in which the position is based or otherwise in compliance with the in-house counsel registration rules of that state/jurisdiction.

Preferred qualifications, capabilities, and skills

• Some in-house experience preferable but not essential