Employment Health Associate/Senior Associate (4+ PQE)-Independent Health & Care

Job description

Make a Real Impact

Bevan Brittan is a leading commercial law firm. Alongside our recognised expertise in housing, local government, and health and social care, we are specialists in the construction, energy and resource management, higher education and financial services sectors.

Supported by our valued business services professionals, our award-winning and growing legal teams provide almost 2,000 organisations with commercial, corporate, property, finance, regulatory, employment and litigation (commercial and clinical negligence) legal and advisory services.

As a responsible business, we embrace four values: Relationships, Reputation, Responsible and Results. These give us a sense of purpose. They influence the decisions we make and how we work with each other. Importantly, they motivate us to deliver meaningful outcomes for our clients and the communities that we're part of.

Consistently recognised as one of The Times Best Law Firms and highly ranked across the legal directories, we are proud of our hard-earned reputation. Our 2025/26 financial results confirmed both revenue and profit growth for a thirteenth consecutive year, ensuring our ability to continue investing in our people.

Looking to the future, we're targeting ambitious growth and success. And we're looking for the best people to be part of it.

Join a team of experts and progressive thinkers

Advise the UK's leading independent healthcare providers

Our Employment, Pensions and Immigration practice is nationally recognised and holds top tier rankings across multiple regional sections in both Legal 500 and Chambers, including Tier 1 Employment Healthcare. Several individuals are recognised as leading lawyers including Jodie Sinclair. Clients describe us as "exceptional partners for our business", with "in depth knowledge of the healthcare sector and ability to think beyond pure employment law considerations", navigating complex legal issues with "clarity and precision" (Legal 500) in a way which is "consistently responsive and collaborative".

We act for employers across a range of sectors, with health and care at the core of our practice. Our clients include several of the UK's largest independent healthcare providers, many with international reach, including private hospitals, clinics as well as social care organisations, investors, funders and start ups across the wider system. We work on a truly national basis, alongside our information law, pensions, immigration, regulatory and commercial teams.

The role

We are looking for an Associate or Senior Associate (4+ PQE) to join our thriving and growing national employment independent health and care team, with scope to be based in our Bristol, Birmingham or Leeds office (with flexible hybrid working).

This is a particularly meaningful time to join. As the health and care landscape continues to navigate constant change - including challenges and opportunities - y ou will assist our clients as they prepare for and implement Employment Rights Act reforms. This includes the potential increase in trade union involvement in independent health and social care, duties relating to third party harassment and zero hours changes.

Our work with our clients spans advisory, transactional and contentious matters. Given our broad client base across the health and care sector, you will have the opportunity to work as part of a wider multidisciplinary team, interfacing with commercial, regulatory and corporate colleagues.

You will:

• Work as part of a national team on a diverse and interesting case load with a real opportunity to make a difference
• Manage your own matters with limited supervision, working with and delegating to junior colleagues where appropriate
• Support partner and Legal Director leads and colleagues across all four of our offices
• Supervise and develop junior lawyers
• Deliver training, help manage client relationships and contribute to business development

What we are looking for from you

The successful candidate will be involved in providing sound, commercial employment advice and will have the following skill set/experience:

• A broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment experience
• Experience advising health and care clients, ideally within the independent health and care sector although this is not essential
• The curiosity and commitment to build knowledge of the sector to support the development of strong client relationships and wider business development
• Case management of Employment Tribunal claims
• Employee relations advice, including settlement negotiations
• An interest in developing knowledge and skills in respect of the industrial relations agenda
• Contractual and policy advice, including reviewing and drafting policies
• Senior exits and medical workforce issues including Practising Privileges
• Restructures, redundancy processes and TUPE
• Transactional due diligence, often as part of a wider corporate or commercial transaction
• Supervisory experience, particularly for Senior Associate candidates
• Advocacy experience is desirable but not essential

What we can offer you

• A varied caseload covering all employment and HR issues including national and some international work
• A client-facing role with business development opportunities
• Line management, supervision and team support
• Realistic career progression

Work with approachable people

When we ask colleagues what makes Bevan Brittan a great place to work, the most popular thing they say is "the people". The overwhelming consensus is that we make time for each other. We welcome questions and support each other. Naturally, we look for new colleagues who align with our values.

Supported to be your best

Hybrid working

We operate a hybrid working model based on the needs of our clients, teams and people. Our core business hours are 9am - 5:15pm Monday to Friday, but we're open to our people working more flexibly around those times and welcome a conversation with you if you have any questions about this. We try to offer you the flexibility to work your week in a way that suits you.

Learning, Development & Progression

We're committed to supporting your professional and personal development needs.This means that we offer a range of tailored training courses and you will have lots of opportunity to learn from those around you. We actively encourage progression and this is reflected in our annual review and promotion processes. You will be supported by your line manager to achieve your full potential.

Wellbeing

As a Bevan Brittan employee, you'll have access to a variety of services that support your wellbeing. We've pledged our commitment to The Mindful Business Charter and lots of our people contribute to our Wellbeing Responsible Business strand, which organises an annual calendar of wellbeing events and initiatives.

Benefits

• A minimum of 25 days holiday (plus the option to buy up to an additional 5 days)
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Generous pension scheme
• Private medical insurance through Vitality
• Biennial private health assessment through Nuffield Health
• Life assurance
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to work scheme

Embracing our differences and valuing inclusion

Our shared aim is that everyone is welcome and can feel comfortable being themselves at Bevan Brittan. To support this, we actively value and promote equality, diversity and inclusion in everything that we do. You'll be empowered and supported through our employee led networks, diverse colleagues, and a broad range of firmwide initiatives.

Recognising the unique contributions that a diverse workforce can bring to our business, we encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We take great pride in being a Disability Confident Employer. If you need any adjustments throughout the recruitment process or have any questions, please get in touch with our recruitment team by emailing [email protected]

Acting responsibly, now and for the future

To us, being a responsible business is second nature; a core part of Bevan Brittan's identity. Our colleagues are heavily involved in shaping and delivering activity across the four pillars of our Responsible Business strategy : Community Engagement; Environmental Sustainability; Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; and Wellbeing.

Our people deliver pro bono legal work for charities and not-for-profit organisations. We play an active role in our local communities and donated £100,000 across our four regional office charities last year. We are also proudly carbon neutral. We've achieved the UN's Climate Neutral Now accreditation and our environmental sustainability plan focuses on achieving our net zero carbon target by 2040.

Collectively, the four pillars ensure we look after our colleagues' wellbeing; offer an environment in which everyone can progress on merit, give something back to the communities in which we work; and protect the environment.