In-house Legal Counsel (Commercial and Employment)
£90k plus benefits
London
The Company
A well-established and rapidly growing healthcare group operating across the UK and Ireland, supporting hundreds of sites nationwide, united by a shared commitment to patient-centred care, professional excellence, and helping people thrive — both in their careers and beyond.
The Role
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Commercial or employment lawyer to join a supportive, collegiate in-house Legal function. The role offers a varied mix of commercial, contractual and dispute work alongside a core focus on employment matters. During this period, you'll advise across a broad range of issues — from managing terminations of self-employed individuals and navigating Equality Act considerations, to supporting internal investigations, assessing employment claims, and serving as the Legal representative on a raising-a-concern committee.
Once the cover period concludes, the position transitions into a more employment-focused remit, presenting a fantastic opportunity to deepen expertise whilst continuing to gain valuable, hands-on in-house experience.
In the substantive role, you will advise on the full spectrum of employment matters, support litigation, and work closely with senior leaders across the organisation. The role sits within an established Legal team — alongside a Head of Legal, Senior Legal Counsel and Paralegal — partnering regularly with HR/People, Operations, Clinical teams and external advisers.
The position offers genuine autonomy to shape high-quality employment law support across the business, covering everything from day-to-day advisory work and contract updates, to managing disputes, guiding organisational change and contributing to strategic projects. There is also a key role to play in developing policies, delivering training, and supporting both employed and self-employed workforce frameworks, including IR35 considerations.
If you enjoy providing clear, practical guidance and building strong working relationships, this is a role where you will genuinely thrive.
About You
A qualified solicitor (England & Wales) with around 3+ years' PQE, with experience gained either in-house or at a respected law firm. Solid experience across both contentious and non-contentious employment matters — from day-to-day advisory work through to managing litigation — is essential.
You'll be confident engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including HR, senior leaders and external advisers, and capable of building strong, trusted relationships. Strong drafting, analytical and communication skills are essential, as is the ability to translate complex issues into practical, actionable advice.
Experience working in-house within healthcare or another fast-paced commercial environment would be advantageous, as would comfort navigating a dynamic, growing organisation.