Employers

We’ll manage your issues in a way that feels true to your values.

When it comes to employment issues, knowing the law isn’t enough. We know you need practical advice and outcomes-focused solutions.

Our clients include not-for-profit, voluntary sector and public sector employers. We also work with a wide range of businesses, from employment agencies and care providers to publishers, leading retailers and advertisers.

Clients come to us because we understand how to strike the right balance between protecting their business and staying true to their values.

How we can help

Our employment team help with:

  • Contracts: drafting, reviewing and varying contracts of employment and executive service agreements, disciplinary and grievance procedures, staff handbooks and policies and staff pension schemes
  • Data protection law
  • Departures, termination payments and settlement agreements
  • Whistleblowing, public interest and social media issues
  • Discrimination
  • Employees outside the UK
  • Employment status: employees, self-employed, casual workers, agency staff, volunteers, work placements, interns
  • Maternity, paternity and parental leave, flexible working, employee benefits, national minimum wage and health and safety
  • Partnership disputes and director and shareholder disputes
  • Redundancies, collective consultations and redundancy payments
  • Restrictions/team moves: restrictive covenants, confidentiality agreements and garden leave
  • Transfers; everything required under TUPE including keeping staff informed, sharing employee liability information, doing due diligence, and restructuring.
  • Unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal and constructive dismissal
  • Working time (holiday pay) and sleep-ins
  • Bonuses and deferred remuneration, long-term incentives and golden handshake

Learn more about our pricing for defending unfair and wrongful dismissal claims.

“Bates Wells helpfully apply advice to our context, while being extremely responsive and flexible with urgent issues.”

Employers, Chambers 2024

‘Attention to detail; knowledge of the law and collegiate working are particular strengths, along with approachability.’

Employers, Legal 500 2024
Meet our team