'Well-attuned to the needs of the client', which includes a range of private, public and third sector clients, the 'responsive' three-partner team at Blake Morgan LLP provides a 'trusted and expert' service across a wide array of contentious and non-contentious matters. As well as her niche expertise within the care sector, 'solutions-driven and client-friendly' team head Joanne Davies  regularly works alongside the corporate team providing 'practical and proportionate solutions' to companies engaged in large-scale reorganisations and M&A transactions - work which regularly includes TUPE advice. The 'thoughtful and dedicated' Matthew Smith  ' ensures a commercial and pragmatic approach' is applied to both public and private sector clients (including those within the retail sector) across a myriad of contentious employment matters. The team is rounded out at a partner level by Paula Kathrens  who is recognised as 'a force to be reckoned with' advising on doctors disciplinary cases, in addition to a myriad employment issues facing entities in regulated sectors including finance, social housing and health.

The 'superb' four-partner team at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is particularly well regarded for its aptitude at advising large private sector corporate clients (including within the financial services, life sciences and retail sectors) across a broad range of ongoing employment/HR issues, as well as in the context of employment-related corporate support work. Team head Anthony Rees  has a strong reputation advising on international restructurings and mandates with potentionally reputation damaging ramifications, where he is effective at providing advice which is mindful of risk management issues. Rees is also well regarded for his contentious expertise and regularly handles the advocacy himself in relation to employment tribunal matters. Much of  Thomas Player 's work has an international flavour, including advice on cross-border restructurings, as well as as in the context of collective employment law, work which regularly sees him acting in an advisory capacity for many companies operating European Works Councils. Tom Bray  regularly provides the employment law advice pursuant to international commercial and corporate transactions and is also noted for his work within the aviation sector, where he has been particularly active of late advising core client Heathrow Airport on a myriad employment issues exacerbated by the pandemic.

Benefiting from vast employment law understanding, from a contentious and non-contentious perspective, and imbued with an excellent understanding of its clients’ needs/business objectives, Lewis Silkin is well-placed to provide ‘commercially focused’ advice to private sector employers, both on its own as well as in unison with other practitioners spread across the firm’s UK-wide network of offices. Team head Lucy Lewis  leads the firm’s IR35 task force and has also provided invaluable, on the spot advice to clients on novel issues brought about during the Covid-19 pandemic, including ‘very useful’ guidance on furlough. Drawing upon an ‘encyclopaedic knowledge of the law’, Richard Moore provides ‘very practical and pragmatic’ advice to UK-based and multinational companies, as well as a growing number of local businesses, across a wide array of employment matters, including on workforce restructuring, senior executive exits and on the employment law issues pursuant to corporate transactions and commercial outsourcing arrangements. At senior associate level, Charlotte Morgan, who provides ‘commercially-focused‘ advice to clients facing Tribunal litigation, as well as on TUPE matters, is also recommended.

Under the guidance of ‘exceptional leader‘ Claire Knowles, Acuity Law continues to gain market share for private sector clients from a range of industry sectors, including retail, many of which continue to utilise the firm’s popular retainer service – Acuity Counsel. The ‘brilliant‘ Knowles provides ‘practical and sound advice‘ that is rooted in the commercial realities of the underlying business of the client, whether it be in a contentious setting or in a corporate support role. The team has also continued to grow, with well-known employment lawyer Juliette Franklin  being the latest addition, following her arrival from Slater and Gordon in February 2022.

Drawing upon the expertise of 'empathetic and accessible' individuals within the five-partner team, Capital Law Limited provides 'timely and pragmatic advice' to a myriad private sector (including a growing number of technology and pharmaceutical clients) and public sector entities. David Lewis is 'incredibly knowledgeable about all employment law matters', including as it relates to discrimination and whistleblower litigation for employers - an area that he regularly undertakes the advocacy himself before the tribunal. Sarah Austin  has significant non-contentious experience, including as it pertains to collective consultation advice pursuant to redundancy procedures and corporate support work, including in relation to private equity-backed M&A. As well as his discrete fee-earning advice, which includes trade union and labour relations expertise, team head Richard Thomas  is popular among clients and non-clients alike for his training across a range of hot-button employment and data protection issues, including in the context of Brexit.

Now headed by the 'highly knowledgeable' Lowri Phillips following the recent retirement of Kim Howells, Geldards LLP provides 'responsive, pragmatic and solutions-oriented' advice to private, public and third sector clients across a myriad contentious and non-contentious employment matters. 'Combining pragmatism and precision', Phillips is 'able to advise across a range of topics and provide insight into current thinking', including to a growing number of financial services clients which she advises on issues including the Senior Manager Regime. Recognised as a 'master tactician', Joga Singh is also well regarded by private sector clients, including in the context of tribunal work, and a growing amount of instructions relating to business immigration matters. The 'exceptional' Helen Snow was recently made up to partner in January 2022 alongside Singh, a reflection of her expertise at handling complex public sector-related employment matters, including a niche specialism advising on agricultural worker employment issues in Wales.

Led by the 'extremely knowledgeable' Louise Price , Hugh James's nine-strong team provides 'incredibly high calibre' advice to a varied mix of public and private sector clients across the panoply of employment matters, including on day-to-day advisory matters, corporate support and litigation. The social housing sector continues to spawn a variety of employment law instructions for the team and both Price and Rhiannon Dale are pivotal to this work. Dale, who was promoted to partner in May 2021, is also well-versed at handling large-scale restructuring and redundancy exercises, as well as being the key point of contact for Celtic Manor on its day-to-day employment law issues.

Slater and Gordon‘s employee-side practice is particuarly noted for its work for union members as respondents in litigation brought against their employers, including in relation to visible and hidden disibility discrimination actions. Although this side of the practice was weakened at senior level by the departure of Juliette Franklin  to Acuity Law, it does have at its disposal a number of well trained associates who are able to effectively take up the baton in her absence, including senior associate Sian Clarke, who can ‘handle difficult cases, difficult clients and difficult opponents with ease and confidence’. 

Although it is a very small team, Howells Solicitors punches above its weight, by virtue of its ability to provide a ‘skilled and knowledgeable’ service to claimants, as well as a growing number of respondents in employment litigation. The success of the practice can largely by attributed to ‘empathetic and efficient’ team head Gemma Bailey, who ‘successfully manages the needs of clients whilst delivering a personalised service’. 

Morgan LaRoche has a strong following in the market on discrete standalone employment matters, as well as through its very popular retainer service - the "Employer Support Service" -which stands out from other equivalent packages by virtue of its ability to provide 'professional and personalised support' and to offer a 'personal touch' to businesses across the gamut of their ongoing HR/employment needs. Carmarthen-based team head Hannah Belton 'literally oozes professionalism' and her varied workload has seen her increasingly busy for respondents in employment tribunal matters. Drawing upon significant in-house expertise both in an HR and legal capacity, Swansea-based associate Sophie Ray brings an excellent perspective to clients navigating an array of day-to-day employment issues, as well as in the context of corporate support.

Although it is still relatively new in the market, having only opened its Cardiff office in February 2020, Harrison Clark Rickerbys has quickly made an impact in the market as a result of some astute hires. Two of those were from Hugh James, including contentious expert Chris Mayers and public sector-focused partner Andrea Thomas. The firm also secured an appointment to the National Procurement Service legal services framework, ensuring that it is picking a considerable amount of public sector work, alongside a solid roster of private sector clients that include IT and fintech entities.

Watkins & Gunn Limited is probably best-known for its work for union clients, spanning advice on industrial relations, industrial action and representation of individual members bringing employment claims. Pontypool-based team head Lisa Guscott  handles much of this work, as well as advice to coporate clients and for employees bringing claims for disability discrimination.