Kathleen Heycock > Farrer & Co > London, England > Lawyer Profile

The education practice at Farrer & Co advises universities and higher education sector bodies with the full-service offering, such as investment fund management, charity law, data protection, joint ventures, property and construction, employment and student disputes, as well as safeguarding and reputation management. The team is led by David Copping who handles IP and commercial work for universities. Kathleen Heycock is adept at employment and student matters, including student safeguarding and deals with Tribunal claims and higher education investigations. Sam Macdonald has vast experience in tax and charity law, supporting the establishment of charities and engagement with charitable sectors. Jeremy Isaacson assists universities and schools with IP, information law and consumer regulatory issues, while William Charrington covers contentious matters for the team’s higher education clients. Senior associate Alice Kendle is also noted.

The professional partnerships practice at Farrer & Co is well versed in the intricacies of transactional, contentious, and investigatory partnership matters. The team has extensive experience leading on noteworthy restructuring, disputes, departures, and team moves. With cross-border capabilities, the group continues to attract new clients from a wide range of industry sectors such as law, architecture, asset management, and FCA-regulated businesses. Jonathan Haley, described as a ‘consummate solicitor,’ leads the department and specialises in advising clients in regulated sectors on transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, and disposals. His former position as Honorary Secretary of the Association of Partnership Practitioners makes him an asset to the practice. The group also benefits from the aptitude of Anna Birtwistle who stands out for her breadth of expertise which covers both the contentious and non-contentious spheres- she frequently advises hedge fund, wealth management, and private equity partners on partner entries and exits, remuneration, disputes, and investigations, and has experience acting before the High Court, the Court of Appeals, and the Employment Tribunal. Eleanor Rowswell concentrates on exits, appointments, and disputes, while Kathleen Heycock focuses on investigations, team moves, disputes, and acquisitions. Alice Yandle stands out for her prowess handling joining arrangements and investigations and Georgina Fraser is noted for her proficiency in partnership agreements, acquisitions, and disposals. The group’s capabilities have been bolstered by the addition of Pooja Dasgupta, who joined the team in November 2023 from CM Murray LLP.

‘Farrer & Co‘s employment team is consistently impressive at all levels. They combine an astute legal judgment with a really sound basis of common sense’. It is jointly led by David Smellie and Kathleen Heycock. The group continues to undertake substantial projects for a wide variety of high-profile clients, including some third-sector clients. It also excels in advising on industrial relations, and in high-profile employment tribunal litigation. The group is skilled in investigations work too, and at advising clients in regulated industries. Recent highlights have included Alice Yandle’s promotion to the partnership in May 2023. Charmaine Pollock was made partner in May 2024. Rachel Lewis is among the other excellent members of the department. Lewis is sought after for her work on sensitive discrimination claims, senior level dismissals, and large-scale reorganisations.

Distinguished by its deep bench and breadth of expertise, Farrer & Co advises on contentious employment disputes, specialist investigations, business protection, appointments, departures and public inquiries. Jointly led by Eleanor Rowswell and Anna Birtwistle, the group benefits from Rowswell’s extensive experience in disputes and investigations into misconduct allegations, and Birtwistle’s record of advising clients in the legal and financial services sectors. Other notable names in the practice include David Hunt, who excels in partner moves and restrictive covenant matters; Kathleen Heycock, who is active in assisting with senior partner moves within the Big Four accountancy firms; Alice Cave, who is experienced in employment contracts and exit packages; and Alice Yandle, who is active in the insurance, legal, private equity and financial services sectors. In addition, the team leans on the senior expertise of David Smellie.