Employment

Employment and personnel issues affect every business, often in unexpected ways. The employment landscape is changing and businesses need creative and tailored advice. This is an area where one size does not fit all.

We advise our clients on their most difficult and sensitive employment issues. We support a diverse range of businesses – from FTSE listed companies to start-ups, individuals to charities – who rely on us on fast-moving, complex and sensitive matters.

We have unrivalled experience in advising boards and senior executives of listed and privately-held companies on sensitive employment issues, as well as the latest corporate governance and executive remuneration requirements.
We regularly advise on complex and sensitive issues involving accelerated terminations, discrimination, whistle-blowing, and restrictive covenants. A significant part of our practice is managing employment disputes, investigations and dismissals (including data protection, monitoring and access to employee communications).
We help our clients to manage large-scale redundancies and restructurings, and complex sensitive trade union relations and industrial action. These are often highly strategic and delivered in time and business-critical scenarios.
We have significant expertise on the employment aspects of all commercial transactions including acquisitions, disposals and service provision changes, flotations, takeovers and insolvent restructurings.
We are particularly adept at managing information and consultation requirements, often on a cross-jurisdictional basis. With our extensive network of contact firms in Europe and beyond, we provide our clients with a 'best of the best' legal service in international employment law.
Our multi-specialist approach is one of our principal differentiators and key strengths. Our employment lawyers are well versed in a range of other areas, including incentives and pensions. They understand the bigger picture and are focused on delivering solutions that are robust and practical.

Key experience

Board-level work

We advise many listed and privately-held companies on the departure of their CEO, CFO or other senior executives, and the appointment of their successor(s). Our role typically includes assisting in negotiating the commercial package, preparing the relevant documentation, facilitating a smooth transition, and advising on the company’s obligations to shareholders, in particular, acting in accordance with its remuneration policy and all relevant disclosure obligations. We are always sensitive to reputational issues.

Investigations and regulatory issues

We have recently advised a global banking and financial services company, a FTSE 100 company, an international healthcare services company and a listed engineering company on their investigations of suspected employee  This involved balancing complex and overlapping legal and regulatory requirements against the rights of individual employees, and helping the business to manage the outcomes.

Industrial relations and collective issues

We are advising one of our clients on longstanding industrial relations and recognition issues at one of its sites, including strategic planning to address threatened industrial action, and on innovative points of trade union law and practice.

Strategic employment matters

We advise many of our clients on strategic matters, including Brexit-proofing their employment structure, navigating the ever-changing financial sector regulatory regime as it applies to the full employment life-cycle, preparing for tax changes affecting the use of contractors, and the latest corporate governance requirements.

We are known for our commitment to excellence, our responsiveness, and our ability to navigate complex problems. We give our clients solutions to the employment risks in their businesses. Our multi-disciplinary employment lawyers understand wider business needs and give practical, useable advice.