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Job Description Location:LondonType: Full-time,Fixed Term ContractSalary: CompetitiveWe are growing and looking for an ambitious, curious, dynamic and technically skilled person to join our team asManaging Counsel, an experiencedprofessional in law and leadershipwho combines deep expertise in UK employment law and investigations with a sophisticated understanding of workplace culture, people dynamics, and the legal risk landscape that sits beneath organisational behaviour.This role requires someone who can bring together the technical rigour of legal practice, the human-centred understanding of how cultures form and fail, and the agility and pacerequiredin a client-facing consultancy environment.As Managing Counsel,you will have strategic and operational oversight of Howlett Browns Investigations and Advisory departments, ensuring all work is legally robust, culturally aware, ethically grounded,high-qualityand commercially practical. You will supervise complex matters end-to-end, provide astute legal judgement, and support clients navigating intricate intersections between law, behaviour, culture,riskand organisational governance.Who We AreWe are a people intelligence company.We support organisations to build environmentswhere integrity,inclusion,innovationand purpose thriveand where people riskremainslow.We specialise in:InvestigationsAdvisory (legal, HR, employee relations, governance, culture)Culture & SustainabilityDEEI (diversity, equity, equality & inclusion)Training, Coaching & FacilitationResolve Routes (conflict resolution support)Connected CommunicationsBusiness IntelligenceIndependent Speak Up ServicesWe are the first people intelligence company in the UK regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.Role OverviewTheManaging Counselwill serve as the senior legal leadership figure for the Investigations and Advisory functions.This role combines:Legal oversight and supervisionInvestigation oversightEmployment law,HRand ERexpertiseCultural and behavioural intelligenceOrganisational risk assessmentYou will ensure all work delivered by both teams reflects a deep understanding of how organisational culture influences risk, how behaviours manifest in workplaces, and how legal obligations intersect with cultural systems.You will:Provide legal supervision across investigations and advisory mattersOverseenumerouscomplexmatters simultaneouslyInteract and liaise with clients and their needs,emergingand immediate in relation to investigations and AdvisoryIdentifyand mitigate legal, cultural,reputationaland regulatory risksOwn matters end-to-end and provide practical, strategic legal directionSupport clients in understanding and addressing the root causes of issues, not just the symptomsThis is a role for someone who can confidently navigate legal issuesin context,understanding not just the law, but the cultural,behaviouraland systemic conditions in which issues arise.Leadership & Departmental ResponsibilitiesThe successful candidate will:Strategic LeadershipLead and develop both the Investigations and Advisory departments, ensuring seamless integration of legal, cultural, and risk-based perspectives.Drive and complete strategic plans as well as adapt in waysthat reflects evolving legal requirements, emerging workplace culture trends, and organisational risk dynamics.Contribute to company-wide leadership, strategy, riskdiscussionsand governance.Team Leadership & Legal SupervisionSupervise,mentorand develop legal, investigations and advisory professionals.Provide legal oversight on investigation plans, evidence analysis, findings,recommendationsand quality assurance processes -ensuring cultural dynamics and legal risk are fully integrated into the investigative approach.Ensure advisory outputs account forlegal risk, cultural drivers, organisational behaviour patterns, and systemic risks whileremaininglegally sound.Build a high-performing, multidisciplinary team that understands both the legal and cultural dimensions of workplace risk.Cross-Functional CollaborationCollaborate with senior leaders across all HB service lines to deliver multidisciplinary, culturally informed, legally robust solutions.Support the evolution of an integrated people-risk offering for clients.Matter ResponsibilitiesThe Managing Counsel will take ownership of,superviseand/or deliver:Complex InvestigationsOversee and advise on investigations involving:discrimination, harassment, bullyingconduct and behaviour issueswhistleblowing and protected disclosuresethics,complianceand governance breachessafeguarding concernsEnsure all investigationsconsider cultural context, systemic patterns, and behavioural drivers alongside legal standards.Provide legal input on investigation strategy, procedural fairness, evidential analysis, riskassessmentand recommendation framing.Ensure all work meets legal, regulatory, SRA and internal standards.Advisory, HR & Employee Relations Legal AdviceProvidecross-disciplinary advice that merges:UK employment laworganisational culture insightsbehavioural risk awarenessoperational and commercial realitiesAdvise clients on:complex ER mattersworkplace disputes and conflictsystemic cultural issues and people-riskgovernance and complianceinternational HR and legal riskprivacy and data protection in HR/investigationsUnderstand how cultural issues manifest legally-helping clients address both the presenting legal risk and the underlying cultural causes.Legal, Cultural & Organisational Risk ManagementIdentifyemerging risks across legal,culturaland behavioural domains.Support clients in building cultures that reduce legal exposure and improve ethical practice.Promote sustainable risk mitigation strategies grounded in culture, leadership,systemsand policy.Quality AssuranceOversee quality assurance and consistency across both service lines.Develop andmaintainframeworks that embed legal, cultural and risk awareness into all deliverables.Experience & Expertise RequiredThe successful candidate will have:UK Legal Qualification (Solicitor or Barrister) essential(employment law specific).58+ years PQE in employment lawwith experience withinvestigations,ERandworkplace advisory.Private practice or inhouse experience (both are desirable).Strong experience supervising and advising on complex investigations.Deep understanding of how workplace culture, behaviour, leadershipdynamicsand systems influence legal risk.Proven ability tomanage complex cases andworkload.Provenskill tointegrate cultural insight into legal analysis and investigation strategy.Significant experiencedelivering advice to senior stakeholders in high-risk or sensitive matters.Demonstrated ability to manage multiple matters end-to-end.Experience managing or mentoring multidisciplinary teams.Strong commercial awareness and the ability to translate legal obligations into practical, culturally informed recommendations.What We OfferThe opportunity to lead two impactful departments and shape the future of ethical workplaces.A supportive,curiousand mission-driven team.Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.Autonomy,influenceand the chance to innovate.Competitive compensation and benefits.What We Offer You (Howlett Brown Benefits)At Howlett Brown, we care deeply about every colleagues success and wellbeing.You will have access to:Hybrid working (Mon & Wed in office, one other office day, two remote days)Fixed Term Contract (69 months)Competitive salaryStart date: December 2025A wide range of learning opportunitiesWellbeing and lifestyle benefitsFlexible benefits tailored to your needs