Our Services

Employment

We offer bespoke advice tailored to your situation, for both employers and employees.

Employment

The field of employment law is constantly evolving. We offer comprehensive advice to employers and employees needing guidance on a range of people-related issues. We understand that employment matters can be urgent and business-critical, or simply a case of providing day-to-day best practice. Our experienced team offers affordable, personal and practical employment law advice with the expertise you expect from a firm of City lawyers.

Advice for Businesses

We advise employers on the full range of employment matters, including:

  • Employment litigation, including Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation
  • Business reorganisations, redundancy, and TUPE issues
  • Company handbooks and contracts of employment
  • Confidentiality, post termination restrictions and injunctions
  • Maternity, Paternity, and Shared Parental Leave
  • Implementing redundancy programmes, including collective consultation
  • Disciplinary and grievance issues
  • Dealing with sickness absence or underperforming employees
  • Disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments
  • Settlement Agreements – preparing and negotiating terms

Recent Matters

  • Advised a client on TUPE matters arising out of a service provision change after the loss of an NHS contract.
  • Advised a retailer closing a number of stores on a redundancy procedure including practical advice on redeploying employees to other stores.
  • Provided advice relating to a grievance raised by a woman on maternity leave and negotiated terms for her exit from the company.
  • Advised and negotiated settlement terms in respect of the termination of joint venture partners to a business with approximately 30 outlets across the country.
  • Successfully defended a business against a claim of unfair dismissal following a disciplinary investigation that led to the individual being dismissed on ground of gross misconduct.

Advice for Individuals

We advise individuals on all employment law issues including:

  • Unfair/constructive dismissal
  • Breach of contract/wrongful dismissal
  • Bullying and harassment in the workplace
  • All forms of discrimination
  • Post-termination restrictive covenants and injunctive relief
  • Maternity, paternity and shared parental leave
  • Flexible Working requests
  • Employment and self-employed status
  • Service agreement/contract of employment reviews
  • Negotiating exits including advice on settlement agreements (formerly compromise agreements)

Recent matters

  • Acting for an individual who was accused by his previous employer of being in breach of his post termination restrictions. Successfully negotiated a settlement that enabled him to start working for a competitor and reduced the length of the restrictions contained in his employment contract.
  • Acting successfully for a clinical psychologist in a claim for unfair dismissal and whistleblowing against her employer.
  • Assisted a senior executive at a national sporting body with his negotiated exit in circumstances where the employee argued that he had been treated poorly because of his association with a person who had a disability.
  • Assisted a senior lawyer in pursuing a formal grievance regarding alleged bullying/harassment, leading to settlement on favourable terms including a substantial pay off and a positive reference being provided.
  • Assisted an employee in raising a grievance regarding her employer’s failure to consider her flexible working request.

Key Contact

Helen Murphie | Partner

Helen is our Head of Employment.
 
She has extensive experience as an Employment Law specialist and has been described in The Legal 500 as “an impressive and tenacious adviser”. Her practice spans advising international, European and UK employers on boardroom disputes, redundancy, TUPE, restrictive covenants, remuneration issues, and complex unfair dismissal, discrimination and whistleblowing matters. Helen also acts for senior executives across finance, tech, pharma and media, and has represented journalists in significant employment disputes.
 
Alongside employment work, Helen has led Immigration Law teams, supporting companies bringing global talent to the UK and advising investors, entrepreneurs and families on their routes to citizenship and business expansion.
 
Commercially astute and strategic in both litigation and negotiation, Helen’s recent experience includes; senior exits in the tech sector, redundancy advice for financial institutions, FCA-related misconduct issues, performance management matters, and Skilled Worker sponsorship advice.
 
Before practising law, Helen worked as a journalist for Sky, BBC and London Tonight, which enhances her approach to evidence, communication and advocacy.

Our services

Our specialist team of commercial lawyers excels not only in technical proficiency but also in understanding the business landscape, foreseeing both opportunities and risks.