I am a passionate and engaged employment and discrimination specialist, recommended by the Legal 500, which recognises my “excellent judgement”.
I have spent over 20 years helping hundreds of charities, purpose driven commercial organisations, regulators and membership bodies successfully navigate challenging and strategically important workplace issues, including those relating to: recruitment, employee engagement, change programmes, investigations, discrimination, grievances, performance management, disciplinaries, dismissals, whistleblowing, tribunals, restrictive covenants, TUPE and data protection.
I also have significant experience of helping charities in employment related crisis situations, often advising boards on the legal, commercial, and reputational aspects of the crisis, and ensuring the best possible outcomes.
My client’s value my creative and can-do approach, energy and commitment to ensuring their strategic, commercial and practical goals are achieved.
Alongside my employer work, I also work with senior executives and professionals at times of upheaval in their places of work and when they move around, providing strategic advice and counsel.
Given the nature of much of my practice, the matters advised on are generally confidential. I am though regularly featured in the press, commenting on topics such as victimisation claims, hiring refugees, long covid/covid positive workers, unfair dismissal and disciplinary processes, cutting the pay of remote workers, new ways of working post-pandemic, protecting employee data, workplace bullying disguised as banter, pregnancy discrimination, where a claimant’s redundancy was related to her pregnancy and unfair dismissal, after a claimant was dismissed for taking time off amid health concerns when she fell pregnant again, and where a claimant was not provided appropriate support by their employer during their pregnancy.
- Charities I advised a large charity on a large data breach, which necessitated a report to the ICO and the Charity Commission.
- I advised a not-for-profit membership organisation on the exit of its CEO and an associated external investigation into various allegations against the CEO, to include addressing allegations of breach of GDPR and defamation.
- I advised a charity on the transfer to it of a government contract, to include advice on a post-transfer restructure.
- I advised a well known INGO on its defence to a whistleblowing claim, involving an 8-day hearing and various appeals to the EAT.
- I advised a well-known INGO on a board dispute.
- I advised a household name charity successfully to defend a 16-day race and disability discrimination claim.
- I advised a high-profile animal welfare charity on significant but anonymous whistleblowing complaints, including on the necessary external investigation and data protection issues arising from the same.
- I advised a range of national charities on trade union agreements and trade union matters.
- Purpose & Impact organisations I advised a US purpose driven consultancy business on the UK employment law implications of their unconventional and innovative employment model, with a view to that model being rolled out in the UK.
- I advised a purpose and impact organisation on its employee activism policy.
- I advised a range of UK B-Corps on their employee and contractor terms and conditions.
- I advised a range of B-Corps and Employee-Owned Business on a whole range of sensitive and strategically important people issues.
- Regulators I advised a major regulator on various large-scale restructures, to include collective consultation duties, plus a significant function transfer under a Transfer Scheme.
- I advised a sports regulator on its transfer to a complementary and high-profile sports body, to include advice on a pre-transfer restructure.
- Membership bodies I advised a major and high-profile membership body on the exit of its People Director and various other senior staff. Plus advising on terms and conditions, various member body issues and on options for positive action.
- I advised the CEO of a private members club on a range of status issues and the board in respect of the exit of a senior member of staff.
- Other I advised a high profile and philanthropic Family Office and the families various charitable and commercial endeavours on key people matters, to include exits and arrivals of senior and household staff.
- I advised a range of individuals on termination arrangements and on moves where post termination restrictions need navigation.