Legal, Employment Lawyer, Executive Director, Birmingham / London

OUR IMPACT

We work at the intersection of finance and law, providing counsel and advice that support activities across the firm. 

As a division we are focused on our people and their development and are committed to creating an environment that is diverse and inclusive. We offer numerous training and career development opportunities including a weekly legal training programme, department mentoring schemes and a people development committee tasked with providing tangible tools to help manage and develop careers. The department also has a number of active and varied committees including the Diversity, Pro Bono, Charity and Social Committees and encourages participation in affinity networks.    

The Employment Law Group (ELG) provides legal support to all divisions across the firm. ELG is responsible for all employment related litigation, regulatory matters, and international advisory work. Working closely with the Human Capital Management (HCM) Division, ELG provides advice and strategic input to the handling of employee relations matters as well as providing support and advice in relation to (amongst other things) internal investigations, legal and regulatory reform implementation, HR policy and strategic projects and transactions.  

YOUR IMPACT

The team has an opening for a junior to mid-level UK-based employment lawyer in either Birmingham or London.  This is intended to be a broad role covering all key aspects of employment law including the following:

• Handling employment-related disputes in both the employment tribunal and other courts, including managing external counsel where appropriate and coordinating with appropriate internal teams including employee relations and compliance
• Day to day advice on all aspects of employment law across our EMEA offices such as conduct issues, employee complaints, restrictive covenants and other hiring matters, international relocations, contingent workers, employee related privacy matters and leaves of absence
• Review and monitor employment law developments in areas of coverage, including non-UK, and address potential impact on the firm’s HCM strategy and provide appropriate training and guidance to stakeholders
• Review and advise on staffing aspects of mergers, acquisitions and other corporate transactions working closely with external counsel
• Advising on internal investigations including those with a regulatory connection
• Advice on compensation and benefits matters including pay reporting obligations and relevant policy considerations 
• Working as part of a team on various internal, and often global, projects such as those to uplift systems and controls or respond to regulatory developments
• Advising on the use of Artificial Intelligence and partnering with global teams on the firm’s approach to this 
• Coordination with other relevant groups throughout the firm, including Legal, Compliance, Tax, Compensation and ensuring that Goldman Sachs standards are incorporated into the handling of all personnel matters
• Uphold the firm’s principles, business controls, ethics, policies and procedures and professional standards

Basic Qualifications

• Solid grounding in employment law advisory and litigation work gained in private practice, and/or in-house.  Financial services experience is an advantage but it is not necessary. 
• 2 to 5 PQE preferred  
• Excellent organizational, project management and communication skills 
• Excellent interpersonal skills: ability to build and maintain strong relationships with relevant business groups within the firm; ability to work with a team of diverse individuals; ability to work collaboratively and as part of a Legal team that is dispersed geographically 
• Highly motivated and proactive; the ability to respond calmly, creatively and quickly in a fast-paced, high-pressure, changing environment 
• Excellent judgment and ability to assess risks; ability to take firm positions to protect the firm's interests; keen business acumen
• Comfortable managing cases day to day, with appropriate supervision