‘The outstanding chambers for employment barristers in London‘, 11KBW consistently appears in heavyweight cases before the employment tribunals, High Court and appellate courts. Among the set’s several leading silks, Daniel Stilitz KC‘s employment practice focuses on the financial and professional services sectors. At the senior-junior end of chambers, Judy Stone acts (as sole counsel) for care home operator, Rampersad, in a landmark Supreme Court case heard in parallel with Mencap v Tomlinson-Blake concerning whether time spent sleeping in at work constitutes working time for the purposes of the national minimum wage. Amy Rogers (leading fellow junior Tom Ogg) represents international insurance broking firm Aon in a 2022-issued, team-poaching claim in the insurance broking sector, which alleges unlawful means conspiracy and the destruction of evidence. Recent growth for the set includes leading senior-junior Andrew Smith joining from Matrix Chambers.

‘A really strong set with a big range of employment litigators‘, Blackstone Chambers‘ recent track record covers whistleblowing, bonus disputes, and leading cases on the status of gig economy workers and the abolition of employment tribunal fees. Notable activity for employment group head Jane Mulcahy KC includes acting as investigator for several organisations, which are handling allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment, discrimination and detrimental treatment. Elsewhere in chambers, Tom Croxford KC, leading senior junior Tom Mountford, is representing car maker Nissan in Passi v Nissan, a major whistleblowing case that is already reported in detail by the New York Times and expected to gain further substantial global coverage. Key growth for the set includes Victoria Windle KC, who has extensive experience in claims involving employee fraud, restrictive covenants, team moves and breach of confidence, taking silk in March 2022.

The ‘best set in London for employment work‘, Cloisters‘ acts across the entire range of employment law, while being widely recognised as a leading discrimination chambers. Members from the set are routinely instructed to act at all levels of the judicial system, from the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal, to the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Recent highlights for chambers included Caspar Glyn KC and Chesca Lord‘s representation of an employee in Mencap v Tomlinson Blake, which considered the significant question of when care workers were entitled to pay while sleeping on-call in “sleep-in shifts”; and in National Union of Professional Foster Carers v Certification Office, Rachel Crasnow KC and senior-junior Rachel Barrett acted for foster care parents, who argued that they were workers under employment law and could form a trade union. Daniel Dyal departed chambers in late 2021 on his appointment as a salaried judge at the Employment Tribunal.

‘A well-respected employment set with a strong bench of talent‘, Littleton Chambers consistently appears in the High Court, employment tribunals, the Employment Appeal Tribunal, and the higher appellate courts. In the leading authority on whether staff carrying out overnight sleep-in shifts in the care sector are entitled to the national minimum wage for such shifts’ entire duration (Mencap v Tomlinson–Blake), David Reade KC, leading 2021-elevated silk Niran De Silva and junior Georgina Leadbetter  acted for Royal Mencap Society in the Supreme Court. Over in the High Court, Paul Gilroy KC was successful for USDAW in a watershed class action, obtaining an injunction to prevent Tesco from seeking to fire and re-hire employees, so as to impose changes to workforces’ terms and conditions. In a boost to chambers, TUPE, whistleblowing, injunctive relief and discrimination specialist Jeremy Lewis KC took silk in March 2022.

Matrix Chambers‘ members routinely appear in first-instance High Court proceedings, the Employment Tribunal, and Supreme Court appeals. Recent Supreme Court work includes Brazel v Harpur Trust (UNISON intervening), in which Mathew Purchase KC and junior Nathan Roberts successfully acted for UNISON and the appellant, respectively, the case addressing the annual leave rights of part-year workers. Over in the Court of Appeal, James Laddie KC and rising star Mark Greaves represented the respondent in Al Qasimi v Robinson, which concerned both the defence of illegality in employment contexts and the statutory interim relief regime in alleged automatic unfair dismissal scenarios; and senior junior Claire Darwin KC was sole counsel for the successful claimants in Gwynedd Council v Barratt and another, which involved the unfair dismissal of two teachers when Gwynedd Council reorganised its schools. Senior junior Andrew Smith moved to 11KBW in May 2022.

Old Square Chambers‘ members regularly appear in the appellate courts, test cases, and factually and legally complex trials; and the set is increasingly acting for more than one party in challenging cases, while also experiencing larger volumes of sensitive investigations. In the Court of Appeal, four silks and two juniors from chambers appeared for various parties and intervenors in a test case on whether foster carers have worker status (NUPFC v Certification Officer and others), namely: Lord Hendy KC, Ben Collins KC, Ben Cooper KC and Katharine Newton KC, along with senior junior Robert Moretto and Madeline Stanley. Betsan Criddle KC took silk in March 2022. Cooper KC also successfully represented both the claimant in Forstater v CGD Europe & others, a high-profile case concerning protection against discrimination in employment for holding gender-critical beliefs; and barrister Allison Bailey in her claim against her chambers for discrimination on similar grounds; however in that case the claim against co-respondent Stonewall, represented by Ijeoma Omambala KC and Robin White, was unsuccessful.

‘A top-class chambers with a stellar team‘, Devereux is sought out by blue-chip multinationals, leading trade unions and governments for major employment disputes; and the set’s members have enviable appellate practices, frequently appearing before both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Recent activity for chambers includes Covid-19 related employment cases, including the emerging area of furlough fraud, substantial industrial relations cases, and worker status-related instructions for which chambers is particularly well known. Members are also increasingly undertaking investigations, with Bruce Carr KC and senior junior Anna Greenley instructed in an internal investigation into culture at the Royal College of Nursing, which addresses concerns about decision making and accountability, including issues of sexual harassment, discrimination and senior staff terminations. Alice Mayhew KC is a 2022 silk appointment.

Essex Court Chambers‘ ‘high-quality employment practice‘ spans cross-border team moves, remuneration disputes, complex bonus issues, restrictive covenants and confidential information, as well as whistleblowing and discrimination claims. Recent highlights include Andrew Hochhauser KC‘s representation of claimant Nadja Swarovski-Adams, a general partner and managing director of the Swarovski crystal production business, against Daniel Swarovski Group, the matter concerning direct sex discrimination, equal pay, harassment and victimisation claims. Elsewhere in chambers, Daniel Oudkerk KC represented F1 engineer Ben Hodgkinson, who moved from a role as head of mechanical engineering at Mercedes-Benz High Performance Powertrains to a similar role at the powertrain arm of its rivals Red Bull Racing. In Richard Baker Harrison Ltd v Brooks and others, 2022 Silk appointment Edward Brown KC successfully acted for the claimant against serving and former senior employees, in relation to misuse of confidential information and breach of fiduciary duty.

A ‘strong chambers with great breadth of employment experience‘, Outer Temple Chambers’ members are routinely involved in significant employment work at the Bar, including in the Supreme Court. The set is also at the forefront of equal pay litigation, and has substantial expertise in cross-over work, leveraging the set’s experience in pensions, commercial disputes and personal injury. Keith Bryant KC, leading senior junior Naomi Cunningham and Stephen Butler, is representing over 5,000 Tesco retail employees in their equal pay claims, in which they compare themselves with distribution colleagues who receive significantly higher pay rates. Elsewhere in chambers, Andrew Short KC, leading senior juniors Naomi Ling and Lydia Seymour, was instructed by 204 judges and 6,000 firefighters in a challenge to public sector pension scheme changes that included allegations of age, sex and race discrimination.

Housing ‘a great employment team with an excellent range of barristers‘, 42 Bedford Row‘s barristers regularly appear in Employment Tribunals, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the High Court. In recent highlights, senior junior Jonathan Davies acted for over 400 claimants in a sizeable, multi-party pay claim in the High Court (Prior v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis), which concerned the payment of overtime, and away from home and hardship allowances; and at the more junior end of chambers, Eleanor Wheeler represented the respondent in in Walsh v Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd, comprising an EAT appeal hearing that involved a previously undecided issue of flexible working law and procedure.

Doughty Street Chambers‘ ‘employment, discrimination and equality team’s reputation for excellence is well deserved‘. Acting for both claimants and respondents, chambers’ members are particularly well known for their expertise in high-value and complex discrimination and whistleblowing claims. Among the set’s senior-level juniors, David Stephenson is regularly instructed in high-value, multi-day, whistleblowing, discrimination, employment status and holiday pay cases; and Amanda Hart‘s enviable track record includes successfully representing clients in the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeals Tribunal, and the Court of Appeal. In late 2021, former founding member of chambers, Heather Williams KC, was appointed a High Court Judge to the King's Bench Division.