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Employment: Cardiff

Capital Law LLP ‘takes the time to develop a solid working knowledge of a client’s business, to offer tailor-made solutions that are commercial and practical to implement. It does not waste time or money’. Led by Elin Pinnell, the team includes the well-regarded Nia Cooper; Viv Du-Feu, who handles international-related matters; and Sian Davies, who leads on education sector work. Clients include Atradius and Peacocks.

Eversheds LLP is ‘excellent, pragmatic, attentive and efficient’ in its advice to employer clients. Anthony Rees handles international restructuring and collective labour disputes for high-profile public and private sector groups. Thomas Player specialises in labour law and industrial relations, recently advising Symantec and Walker Snack Foods/PepsiCo. Huw Jones advises local authorities.

At Darwin Gray, Bethan Darwin and Damian Phillips advise large employers and senior-level individuals, with Phillips noted for his ‘experience in acting for both sides in disputes’. Fflur Jones is ‘incredibly bright and a true model’, and specialises in discrimination issues, recently winning a tribunal claim for security company Guarding Limited.

Geldards LLP provides ‘accurate and timely advice’, with strength in advising public sector clients. Stephen Jenkins has ‘excellent knowledge’, and recently advised Mouchel on multimillion-pound outsourcing contracts. Kim Howell provides strong team leadership, and successfully represented Coventry Council in an equal pay tribunal. Howell and senior associate Claire Davies are ‘absolutely authoritative and reliable in their advice’, and Emma Burns and Rhian Brace are also well 
regarded.

The team at Morgan Cole attracts praise for its insight and industry knowledge. Michael Clarke provides ‘extensive public sector knowledge and is pragmatic and sensible’, recently advising NHS trusts and health boards on equal pay claims. Joanne Davies is ‘particularly aware of business needs and able to offer practical advice in all circumstances’, and advised Avon Cosmetics and Welsh Ministers. Tribunals lawyer Matthew Smith is ‘a constant guru providing wise advice that implements “real world” solutions within the required legal 
framework’.

Morgan Denton Jones LLP’s niche practice is ‘responsive, creative and most importantly pragmatic’, with a client base spanning local, London and Bristol-based companies. The highly regarded Anna Denton-Jones successfully defended Tremorfa, and advises Welsh arts organisations on funding changes; Mark Morgan acts for public sector authorities; and Jenny Jones’ ‘clarity and pragmatism are the key to her 
success’.

Russell Jones & Walker advises union employees, and has ‘excellent knowledge in relation to the police services’. Juliette Franklin and Rachel Harfield are ‘able to present a good argument on a difficult case but are also realistic about prospects of success’. Recent claimant work includes redundancy, restructuring and discrimination matters.

Berry Smith is well regarded for its business knowledge and acumen on contentious issues. Newly promoted partner Fabio Grech leads the practice, following Stephen Moore’s departure for Ashfords LLP. Clients include Opus International and EKF Diagnostics.

Clarkslegal LLP’s Dafydd Downes acts for Wales and South West based public sector clients, and recently advised various companies on employment issues as well as acting in a high-profile employment tribunal case.

Hugh James delivers ‘sound expert advice from a legal perspective and a commercial/practical point of view’. Both well-regarded practice head Alison Love and newly promoted partner Louise Price can ‘translate often complex legal issues into simple layman’s terms’. They successfully defended the WRU in an unfair dismissal claim. Other clients include Braces Bakery and a range of HR directors, while new instructions came from the Farmers Union Wales and Bywaters.

M & A Solicitors LLP’s James Moss has recently advised on restructuring, redundancy issues and tribunal claims, and is currently representing a senior executive in a multimillion-pound disability discrimination claim. Other clients include West Sussex Council and a number of Welsh sporting professionals. The team lost Betsan Thomas to what is now Red Kite Law.

At MLM Cartwright, Chris Mayers has a public sector focus, and has represented local health boards on equal pay and restructuring issues.

Dolmans Solicitors focuses on the public sector and police authorities. Senior partner Adrian Oliver handles discrimination issues. Associate Jennifer Cottle advised Principality on restructuring matters.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP acted for Unison and GMB on equal pay litigation, and also acts for Unite and the RMT.

Employment: Elsewhere in Wales

Gabb and Co’s Sophie Williams represents employees and has experience acting for SMEs and plcs.

Harding Evans LLP’s practice is led by Daniel Wilde and advises across the public and private sectors, with new clients including Dudley & Sons and Cardiff Sixth Form College. It represented Newport Transport and Stagecoach South Wales in tribunal claims, and assisted a high-profile rugby player on contractual issues.

Led by the locally reputed Paul Shuttleworth, JCP Solicitors acts for public authority, national and SME clients. It advised the Welsh Music Foundation and Swansea City FC on contractual issues.

At Morgan LaRoche Limited, practice head Timothy Jones primarily acts for employers, on contentious and non-contentious matters, and his ‘strength is his understanding of the commercial realities and the need to compromise as a result of them’. Clients include SMEs, national businesses, RSLs and charitable 
organisations.

Allington Hughes Solicitors represents employees and SMEs; recent instructions have come from North Wales and Cheshire-based charities and dioceses, and a US company restructuring its UK subsidiaries. Welsh speaker Gerallt Hughes heads the practice.

Matthew Ratcliffe joined Douglas-Jones Mercer from Berry Smith and has experience acting for national clients.

Hutchinson Thomas’ practice head Simon Thomas recently represented a Welsh business owner on an alleged misconduct claim. Clients include Wales’ largest car dealership Sinclair Group, and employees of Coastal Housing Group.

Red Kite Law’s Donna Purchase is ‘extremely approachable and pragmatic in her approach’. Areas of focus include the energy and tourism sectors.

Health and safety

Berrymans Lace Mawer LLP’s Matthew Harrington is ‘a strong leader with good business relationship skills, and in-depth and fantastic knowledge of all areas’, with his team also noted for its ‘wide range of knowledge’. Clients include Zurich, AIG and Mitsui Sumitomo.

Delivering ‘exceptional service’, Dolmans Solicitors’ team is led by Peter Bennett. It represents local authorities and other public and private sector interests, including on industrial disease claims.

Morgan Cole’s Robin Havard leads on prosecutions, and recently acted for the HSE in a number of high-profile Crown Court successes. Claire Rawle handles defence work, advising NHS bodies and care home operators on patient safety issues.

Beachcroft Claims Limited undertakes defence work for insurers. Simon Curtis handles investigations into serious injuries and fatalities.

Crowell & Moring’s Anne Davies is ‘an expert in her field’, and provides ‘valued, accurate and professional’ advice. Based primarily in London but with some presence in Cardiff, the team advised Byrne Group on safety issues regarding the construction of The Shard skyscraper. It also advised a major locally based refrigeration supplier in a cross-border investigation regarding alleged importation of hazardous products.

JCP Solicitors is led by Christian Edwards, who is mainly instructed by employers on defence work. It advises the management company of the Liberty Stadium.

Morgan LaRoche Limited’s Andrew Manners represents corporate and institutional clients, and is also appointed to the ARAG panel. The practice recently assisted a chemicals production plant in relation to injury caused by explosion, successfully avoiding prosecution.

Pensions

Eversheds LLP’s Ian Davies has ‘excellent pensions knowledge and is a good communicator, who does not vacillate when providing advice’. Senior associate Stuart Earle is ‘responsive in layman’s language whilst being commercially aware’. The team advises Morgan Crucible and Welsh Water.

Geldards LLP’s Stephen Jenkins is ‘very knowledgeable, thorough and professional’, and advises companies and trustees such as Mouchel and Staedtler.

Hugh James’ Louise Price recently advised on outsourcing matters and corporate dissolutions. Clients include local councils, the WRU and Hafod Care Association.

Morgan Cole provides ‘measured and appropriate’ advice, primarily acting for public sector trustees. Michael Prior is ‘extremely customer focused, with a wealth of experience in pensions law’. Allan Wilson advised Milford Haven Port Authority on the Pilots’ pension scheme litigation.

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Legal Developments in the UK

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