Employment Legal Director
Leeds – £115,000 - £130,000
Role: Employment Legal Director | Tier 1 National Firm
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Salary: £115K +
Douglas Scott are partnering with a Tier 1, nationally recognised law firm to recruit an Employment Legal Director into its award‑winning Leeds employment team.
The firm is consistently ranked at the top of the directories for employment law and is a multiple winner of regional and national awards for both legal excellence and firm culture. This is an outstanding opportunity for a senior employment lawyer who wants to build towards partnership within a progressive, people‑focused firm.
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Salary: £115K +
Douglas Scott are partnering with a Tier 1, nationally recognised law firm to recruit an Employment Legal Director into its award‑winning Leeds employment team.
The firm is consistently ranked at the top of the directories for employment law and is a multiple winner of regional and national awards for both legal excellence and firm culture. This is an outstanding opportunity for a senior employment lawyer who wants to build towards partnership within a progressive, people‑focused firm.
The Role
This is a senior role offering a mix of non‑contentious and contentious employment work, with a clear emphasis on advisory, strategic and preventative matters.
You will work closely with partners to advise clients on complex employment issues, while also running and supervising tribunal litigation where required. The role is designed to allow you to develop broader leadership, client and business development skills in preparation for partnership.
The team advises a high‑quality client base across the private and public sectors, including national and international employers. Your work will include:
- Strategic employment law advice to HR teams and senior leadership
- Managing and advising on restructures, redundancy programmes and reorganisations
- TUPE, outsourcing and workforce change projects
- Employment aspects of corporate transactions
- Policy drafting and employment compliance projects
- Senior exits, settlement agreements and risk management
- A proportion of contentious work, including complex unfair dismissal and discrimination claims
About You.
- A qualified Employment Solicitor (circa 9 to 15+ PQE) with solid experience from a recognised national/international firm.
- Currently operating as a Legal Director or Senior Associate.
- Strong across non‑contentious employment law, with the credibility to handle disputes when required.
- Comfortable advising clients at a senior level and managing long‑term client relationships.
- Ambitious and motivated to build towards partnership in the medium term.
- Interested in mentoring junior lawyers and contributing to a high‑performing team.
Why Join?
- Market‑leading, tier 1 employment practice with real depth and quality.
- A clearly defined and supported route to partnership.
- High proportion of strategic, non‑contentious advisory work.
- National platform with a strong and collaborative Leeds office.
- Recognised for its inclusive, flexible and people‑first culture.
- Competitive remuneration and benefits package.
- Hybrid working as standard.
Huw Flanagan-Roberts is a Recruitment Consultant at Douglas Scott Legal Recruitment, having joined the team under a year ago. With a background in sales management and a design degree, Huw has a unique combination of skills that he uses to build strong relationships with clients and candidates in the legal sector. Inspired by his personal connection to law through his marriage to a corporate lawyer, he is comfortable navigating legal terminology and helping candidates and clients in their career journeys. Outside of work, Huw grew up in Wales and speaks Welsh almost fluently, a skill he enjoys using when visiting his homeland.
Apply Now
Job Spec:
- Area of Law: Employment Law
- Type: Solicitor / FILEX
- Salary: £115,000 - £130,000
- Term: Permanent
- Location: Leeds
- Reference: 1332108
