Paralegal - Employment Law

John Lewis Partnership • New London, CT

6d • $37,700 - $45,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

ABOUT THE ROLE Reporting into a Senior Lawyer within the Employment Legal Team the John Lewis Partnership is looking for a Paralegal, Employment, to join the team. You will work with all trading divisions of the John Lewis Partnership which consists of John Lewis, Waitrose and Group, in relation to a wide range of matters. This is a fast paced role in a busy in-house legal team. Part of the role will require you to manage the Partnership’s employment litigation and pre-litigation matters working alongside an experienced senior paralegal. This will include instructing and managing the relationship with the Partnership’s retained panel law firm, liaising with the People team and witnesses to support the provision of information from the business to the law firm, advising on settlement strategy, reviewing and occasionally drafting defence and witness statements and ensuring all Court and Tribunal deadlines are met. You will act as the primary point of contact for the business for queries and advice on ACAS conciliations and employee litigation. You will also provide general paralegal support for the Employment Legal Team on a wide range of general Employment Law matters. This is a demanding role which requires previous experience of working in a legal team, resulting in a clear understanding of employment legal concepts and employment litigation, confidence in handling legal documents, an understanding of legal terminology, and a sophisticated understanding of a legal team’s purpose and function. Organisational skills, and a self starting mentality are paramount as the candidate needs to be able to work proactively, independently and prioritise and manage a variable and busy workload. Dealing with stakeholders of a varying level, you will need to be highly proficient in building strong relationships and managing stakeholders effectively. Relationships across the legal team are also paramount, with a strong relationship needed with other members of the team. The Partnership is a unique business and it is essential that you have an interest in and the ability to advise within the context of its Constitution and democratic structure. In addition to your contractual pay, any time worked between 22:00 - 06:00 will attract Night Premium at a rate of £4.50 per hour. This will also apply to existing Partners who have enrolled onto Enhanced Hours Premium arrangements. At a glance Hybrid Working - Our team is based in Central London - we embrace hybrid working - we are office based together at least once a wee and, as a business with locations across the UK, there will also be requirements to travel to locations (including Tribunals) outside of London as well. Expected Salary - £37,700 - £45,000 (depending upon experience) Contract type - Permanent

Requirements

• Previous experience of working in a legal team (ideally not less than one year’s experience).
• Experience of managing all phases of the UK employment litigation system, including ACAS conciliation.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of the law and relevant court procedures relating to employment litigation.
• A clear understanding of general legal concepts and managing employment law matters, for example advice on disciplinary and grievance matters or Equality Act issues.
• UK Law degree / CILEX / Post Graduate Diploma in Law or equivalent UK legal qualification.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and have strong interpersonal skills allowing you to work well in a fast paced environment.
• Being highly organised, with excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritise effectively and manage deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and able to understand and manage complex legal documents accurately.
• Excellent communicator who is able to explain legal concepts in simple and relatable terms to business colleagues.
• Able to carry out legal research and problem solve to find solutions.
• Ability to work independently but also as part of a team, to be efficient, develop processes and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Strong administration and IT skills, to be able to support effective process and record keeping to include an interest and aptitude in the appropriate use of AI and other legal technology to support efficient ways of working.

Nice To Haves

• In-house experience in Retail or employee heavy companies is beneficial, but not essential.
• A strong understanding of UK Employment legislation is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Litigation Management: Work with the Senior Paralegal in managing the end-to-end employment litigation process across the UK and Channel Islands, including instructing panel firms, overseeing disclosure, and reviewing monthly invoices.
• Acas Early Conciliation: As part of the paralegal team, oversee all Acas Early Conciliation cases, ensuring proactive handling of potential claims before they reach the tribunal stage.
• Stakeholder Business Partnering: As part of the paralegal team, act as the primary point of contact for internal witnesses and other departments (such as the people team and Data Privacy team), managing expectations and providing strategic recommendations on settlement approaches.
• Settlement Administration: Execute and administer COT3 and Settlement Agreements, which includes drafting documents, conducting negotiations, managing DocuSign processes, and ensuring strict adherence to payment and reaffirmation timelines.
• Operational Support: Manage the Employment Legal team inbox and maintain accurate trackers for litigation, projects, and TUPE-related employee liability information to ensure smooth departmental operations.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify "lessons learned" from litigation outcomes to provide feedback and training to the Employee Relations (ER) team, while regularly updating legal templates and precedents to reflect best practice.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level