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Most of the firms listed in the first, second and third tiers offer HR consultancy services.

The ‘exceptional’ Anthony Rees leads at Eversheds LLP, and is ‘customer focused, pragmatic and commercially minded’. The team’s sector strengths include aerospace, pharmaceuticals and transport, and its work is generally private sector employer, in relation to matters outside the remit of in-house legal teams; its instructions are UK-wide, often cross-jurisdictional, and usually complex. Thomas Player leads on collective employment matters; 2011 highlights included time-critical advice to Arriva Trains on proposed strike action, and advice on several European Works Council structures. Audrey Williams is renowned nationwide for diversity work.

At Capital Law LLP, Elin Pinnell heads a team which punches above its weight, and achieves ‘excellent outcomes’. Pinnell’s specialisms include reorganisation matters; Viv Du-Feu is an international expert; the ‘extremely supportive, highly responsive’ Sian Davies is a further education expert; and Richard Thomas is noted for his health sector experience. Clients wins include Orange Corporate Services Limited, and HTC.

Geldards LLP’s team is headed by Stephen Jenkins, who handled two EAT cases in 2011, including a groundbreaking TUPE case. The public sector team, led by Kim Howell, is well known for its equal pay defence work. Public sector clients include the Welsh government and several local authorities. Emma Burns left in 2011 to join Hugh James.

Joanne Davies heads a team at Morgan Cole with unsurpassed strength in public sector work, but which also acts for prominent brands such as Diesel, and Millennium & Copthorne Hotels. Davies herself concentrates on private sector, non-contentious matters. Michael Clarke is known for his strategic and tribunal work for the Welsh government and for the education and health sectors; the firm has ‘partner’ status for NHS Wales. Contentious specialist Matthew Smith provides ‘superb advice’, and has ‘excellent common sense’.

Strong in public sector work, Clarkslegal LLP acts for Welsh local authorities, including the Tomorrows Valley hub. Private sector clients include Carillion, and Scottish and Southern Energy. Practice head Dafydd Downes advises on collective redundancies, strategic restructuring, outsourcing and tribunal issues.

Bethan Darwin at Darwin Gray – ‘a wonderful, young firm’ – is a very popular choice for executives and SMEs, attracting work nationwide; her service is ‘excellent’, and response times ‘superb’. Rhodri Lewis impresses in pensions disputes; and Fflur Jones and Owen John are also recommended.

Emma Burns (formerly of Geldards LLP) now heads the team at Hugh James, following the departure of Alison Love. The firm has attracted panel positions with the Welsh government, and the North and South West Wales’ local authority frameworks. The WRU and Cardiff City FC are also clients.

Niche practice Morgan Denton Jones LLP continues to consolidate its reputation in the region, winning work away from larger competitors and building an impressive client list for such a young firm. Mark Morgan is the ‘star of the show’, and Jenny Jones and the ‘pragmatic’ Anna Denton-Jones also impress. Strengths include an ‘encyclopaedic knowledge’ of labour law, and ‘unparalleled response times’.

Rachel Harfield is making her mark as the leader of a popular team at Russell Jones & Walker, part of Slater & Gordon Lawyers. It is known for its strength in police officer cases, but has also developed a following among other senior executives, particularly those employed in the public sector.

At Acuity Legal Limited, James Moss is described as ‘a rock’ whose abilities provide ‘constant comfort’ to his clients.

Fabio Grech has steered Berry Smith away from the volume market, developing its private sector offering to regional SMEs and charities.

Thompsons Solicitors LLP acts for the members of prominent unions such as UNISON, and Unite. Mark Bainbridge is the firm’s employment rights manager in Cardiff, and takes a ‘dedicated’, ‘meticulous’ and ‘strategic’ approach to his clients’ cases.

Associate Jennifer Cottle at Dolmans Solicitors acts for a variety of regional clients.

Chris Mayers at MLM Cartwright is a general adviser and a regular tribunal advocate.

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Legal Developments in Wales for Employment: Cardiff

  • TRANSFER OF UNDERTAKINGS (PROTECTION OF EMPLOYMENT) AND AGE DISCRIMINATION

    I have been asked to cover the topic of Employment law within my half an hour speaking slot today. I have narrowed my subject down to Transfer of Undertakings and Discrimination, with the focus on providing an update on the recent spate of cases on service provision change and on the important developments in the law of age discrimination. Needless to say, in my presentation I shall not be able to cover the level of detail which is contained in my written paper, which I will leave you to read.
    - 11KBW

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