Associate Employment

Practice Group / Department:

Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm with more than 3,000 lawyers advising clients across locations in the United States, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. We provide a full scope of legal services to the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions.

Our vision is to be a world class business, profitable, ambitious, cooperative and considerate, supporting our clients and people through our global business principles of Quality, Unity and Integrity.

With over 7,000 employees worldwide, our culture is the thread that connects us. Our strategy and culture are closed connected – defined by shared ambition, global collaboration and a one-team mindset. We believe pioneering work happens when people are empowered to think beyond boundaries, explore new opportunities and grow through diverse experiences. Alongside the right skills and experience, we are looking for people who are innovative, commercially minded, and motivated by the impact of the work they do – ready to share in our ambition and help shape what comes next.

Because while individuals can do well, together we achieve something extraordinary.

The Team

Established in 2000, our Milan office provides a full business law service to domestic and international clients. 

Our approach to legal advising is pragmatic and business-oriented, and our team is diverse, comprising individuals with different backgrounds and skills.

Our core practice areas in Italy are Antitrust and competition, Banking and finance, Corporate and M&A, and Employment law. We also have strong capabilities in Data protection and cybersecurity, Litigation and dispute resolution, Administrative law, Real estate and Tax law. Known for our industry-specific experience and expertise, we are active in many sectors that contribute to the dynamic and multi-faceted Italian economy, including consumer markets (food and beverage, leisure and retail), energy and infrastructure, financial institutions (banks, insurance, fund and asset management), life sciences and healthcare, technology and transport. We also have a growing sports law practice.

We have lawyers qualified in Italian, the United States, England & Wales, and Belgium based in Milan and we regularly work in collaboration with lawyers based in our global network on multi-jurisdictional transactions and matters.

The Role

We are seeking an Italian-qualified lawyer with 1–3 years’ post-qualification experience to join our Employment and Labour team in Milan.

The successful candidate will advise domestic and international clients on a broad range of advisory, transactional and contentious employment law matters, including:

• Corporate restructurings, business transfers, collective redundancies and individual dismissals
• Service agreements, employment contracts, HR regulations and workplace policies
• Commercial agency law
• Employment-related data protection and privacy matters
• Executive remuneration
• Discrimination claims, grievances and disciplinary procedures
• Employment litigation and trade union matters
• General employment law matters, including maternity rights and contractual issues

The role offers the opportunity to work on complex domestic and cross-border matters, gain meaningful client exposure and develop professionally within a collaborative and internationally connected team.

Skills and Experience Required

We are looking for a lawyer who combines strong technical ability with commercial awareness, intellectual curiosity and a genuine commitment to client service.

The successful candidate will have:

• Qualification as an Italian Avvocato, with 1–3 years’ post-qualification experience
• A strong knowledge of employment and labour law and an interest in current legal developments
• Excellent analytical, drafting and problem-solving skills
• The ability to provide clear, practical and commercially focused advice
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• A collaborative and proactive approach to working with clients and colleagues
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken
• Confidence in using AI-enabled tools and a willingness to embrace new technologies and evolving ways of working

Experience of cross-border matters would be advantageous but is not essential.

General Approach

Candidates should also:

• Develop and apply strong technical knowledge and professional judgement
• Take ownership of their work and deliver high-quality advice efficiently and accurately
• Build and maintain trusted client relationships
• Collaborate effectively with colleagues across teams, practices and jurisdictions
• Demonstrate initiative and a commitment to continuous learning
• Promote and demonstrate the firm’s values and strategic priorities
• Contribute to presentations, publications and business development initiatives

At Norton Rose Fulbright, you will have the opportunity to develop your career in an international environment that values technical excellence, collaboration, client service and professional growth.

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To attract the best people, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work, have a sense of belonging, and realize their full career potential. 
Our new enabled work model allows our people to have more flexibility in the way they choose to work from both the office and a remote location, while continuing to deliver the highest standards of service. We offer a range of family friendly and inclusive employment policies and provide access to programmes and services aimed at nurturing our people’s health and overall wellbeing. Find more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion here.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any tailored adjustments or accommodations, please let us know here.