Employment & Incentives Associate

Amsterdam: 3-6 years of Employment experience

Exceptional by design. Build an international employment law career in one of the most connected teams at Pinsent Masons.

Pinsent Masons is seeking a talented and ambitious Associate to join our Employment & Incentives team in Amsterdam, with 3-6 years of experience.

This is an exceptional opportunity to join a highly international practice, advising domestic and international clients on a broad range of employment law matters, including the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations, outsourcing projects, employee data protection, global workforce management and complex workplace disputes.

As part of a global Employment & Incentives practice comprising more than 135 specialist employment lawyers, you will work closely with colleagues across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa, advising some of the world's leading organisations on their most significant employment challenges. The role offers a genuinely international platform, with regular exposure to cross-border projects, multinational clients and multi-jurisdictional employment matters.

Our Amsterdam office is at an exciting stage in its growth journey. Established only a few years ago, it has grown into a thriving office of approximately 40 professionals and 8 partners, with ambitious plans for further expansion of its Employment & Incentives practice.

The Opportunity

This role offers far more than traditional employment law work.

You will work on a diverse mix of advisory, transactional and contentious matters while developing trusted adviser relationships with international clients. The team supports organisations throughout the entire employee lifecycle, from strategic workforce planning and global mobility through to transformational transactions, reorganisations, disputes and executive exits.

You'll join a highly entrepreneurial team that prides itself on giving lawyers responsibility early in their careers. This role provides a genuine platform for an employment lawyer seeking an opportunity to work directly with clients, take ownership of matters and build a genuine international career path within a collaborative and non-hierarchical environment.

What You'll Do

As an Associate in our Employment & Incentives team, you will:

• Advise clients on restructurings, redundancies and workforce transformation programmes.

• Support on the employment aspects of domestic and cross-border M&A transactions.

• Assist with employment litigation, disputes and contentious workplace matters.

• Support clients on employee participation, equality, diversity and inclusion matters.

• Advise on global mobility and international workforce issues.

• Assist multinational organisations with the day-to-day management of their Dutch workforce.

• Advise on employee privacy, HR data protection and workplace data issues.

• Support clients through complex outsourcing and employee transfer projects.

• Work closely with colleagues across Pinsent Masons' international network to coordinate multi-jurisdictional advice.

• Build long-term client relationships and become a trusted adviser on practical employment law issues.

• Contribute to business development initiatives, thought leadership and client engagement activities.

The practice regularly advises on major international projects involving reorganisations, outsourcing arrangements, employee transfers, workforce compliance, pay transparency, employee data protection and global HR initiatives.

About the Team

Our team balances a close-knit, supportive culture with a genuinely international platform. Our Employment & Incentives team advises leading multinational organisations across Pinsent Masons' key sectors, including:

• Technology, Science & Industry

• Life Sciences & Healthcare

• Financial Services

• Infrastructure & Real Estate

• Energy & Natural Resources

• Retail, Sport & Hospitality

The Amsterdam team has a strong international outlook and focus on cross-border work. Clients frequently rely on the team to coordinate complex employment law projects across multiple jurisdictions, particularly where business transformation, acquisitions, restructurings or global workforce considerations are involved.

The team works in a highly integrated fashion with our Corporate, TMT and Litigation specialists. Lawyers are encouraged to develop broad commercial awareness and are given exposure to a wide range of client challenges, whilst being supported to find and explore their own niche should they wish to.

This role would be ideal for an employment lawyer seeking an opportunity to work side-by-side with a friendly, tight-knit and growing team whilst taking on a quality of work which will spur on their professional development.

Why Join This Team?

What makes this opportunity stand out?

• A truly international practice with daily exposure to overseas clients and colleagues.

• Direct access to clients and responsibility from an early stage.

• A non-hierarchical culture where talented lawyers are encouraged to build their own specialism and profile and with clear progression opportunities.

• An entrepreneurial culture where initiative is recognised and rewarded.

• Integrated international working, with the Amsterdam Employment team described internally as one of the most connected teams across the global network.

• The opportunity to develop your own client relationships rather than operating solely in a support capacity.

• A platform for career growth, where you are not a cog in the machine, but actively shape both your practice and your future.

What We're Looking For

At Pinsent Masons, we look for people who are curious, collaborative and ambitious.

You'll be a Netherlands-qualified lawyer with approximately 3-6 years' of employment experience, ideally gained within a well-regarded law firm.

You will also bring:

• Strong employment law experience and the ability to provide commercially focused advice.

• Experience advising on employment-related transactions, restructurings or workplace disputes.

• Excellent analytical and organisational skills.

• Strong stakeholder management capabilities and confidence working directly with clients.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills in both Dutch and English.

• The ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure.

• A collaborative mindset and willingness to learn from colleagues across jurisdictions.

• An interest in international employment law developments and cross-border projects.

• A client-centric approach and a genuine enthusiasm for building relationships.

• Energy, positivity and a desire to contribute to a high-performing team.

Experience gained in an international environment would be particularly attractive, although by no means essential. The team values lawyers who can help multinational clients navigate practical challenges and who enjoy being hands-on, commercially minded advisers rather than purely technical lawyers.

Our Commitment

We are committed to recruiting and retaining the best talent and building an inclusive, fair and supportive workplace. We value the strength that comes from different experiences and strive to create an environment where everyone feels they belong.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates across jurisdictions. If you require reasonable adjustments, we will work with you to identify a suitable approach.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted via our recruitment portal only.

For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact our Talent Acquisition team: [email protected]

A Note for Recruitment Agencies

Please do not submit CVs for this role if you are not on our Preferred Supplier List (PSL), as we are committed to supporting and protecting our existing agency partnerships. Pinsent Masons will not be bound by your terms of business in respect of any unsolicited CVs submitted to us by email, and no fee will be payable, even in the event that we progress a candidate.

If you would like to discuss a specific candidate and are not currently on our PSL, please contact the Talent Acquisition Advisor responsible for this role. Please note that this does not guarantee that the candidate will be progressed or that any fee will be payable.