Michael Burd > Lewis Silkin > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Lewis Silkin
Arbor
255 Blackfriars Rd
LONDON
SE1 9AX
England

Work Department

Employment, reward and immigration.

Position

Chair of the Partnership and Partner. Advises on all aspects of employment and partnership law. Particular areas of interest include board issues, contested dismissals and redundancy, partnership issues, business transfers, employment tribunal claims and advice aimed at preventing employment disputes and ensuring compliance with statutory regulations. His practice is highly international, dealing with both UK clients’ employment law needs globally and with UK issues for clients in numerous other jurisdictions.

Career

Articled Lewis Silkin; qualified 1986; partner 1988; head of employment; president, City of Westminster Law Society 1995-96; publications: editor Croner’s ‘Managing Termination of Employment’; Croner’s ‘Discrimination Law’ looseleaf; frequent lecturer and writer on employment matters. Board of Ius Laboris, the leading alliance of global human resources lawyers of which Lewis Silkin is UK member. Regular column in Management Today.

Memberships

Employment Lawyers Association; European Employment Lawyers Association; London Solicitors Litigation Association, Ius Laboris global employment law alliance , President of City of Westminster Law Society (1995-96)

Education

Tappan Zee High School, New York (1976); Columbia University (1980 BA); Cambridge University (1982 MPhil).

Leisure

Travel, fine food and wines, choral musician.

Lawyer Rankings

London > Employment > Employers

(Hall of Fame)

Michael BurdLewis Silkin

Lewis Silkin‘s employment group is recommended for its specialist sub-teams and is able to cover both high-level litigation, including before the Supreme Court, and complex non-contentious matters, such as the employment restructuring of Twitter following Elon Musk’s takeover. Joint managing partner of the firm Richard Miskella heads the team. He is supported by a strong group of expert lawyers, including highly experienced litigators Michael Anderson, Toni Lorenzo and Michael Burd. Colin Leckey, who specialises in disability discrimination claims, is also integral. Further names to note in an impressively deep bench include workplace investigations specialist Karen Baxter, internal employment and partnership specialist James Davies, the discrimination claims and sexual misconduct allegations-focussed Shalina Crossley and managing associate Carla Feakins.

London > Corporate and commercial > Partnership

Offering a holistic service with ‘strength and depth across the partnership, employment and commercial fields’, Lewis Silkin services law firms, hedge funds, private equity managers and debt advisory businesses, particularly in relation to highly sensitive disputes arising from misconduct allegations and partner exits. The team also offers experience in contentious matters such as expulsion, fiduciary duties, restrictive covenants and remuneration disputes and non-contentious work such as mergers, internal policies, business formation and restructuring. Heading up the group is the ‘extremely experienced’ Clive Greenwood. He is frequently instructed in disputes concerning compulsory retirement and performance. Partnership and LLP agreement expert Fergus Payne advises professional services firms on restructuring projects and mergers and has now adopted the role of consultant at the firm. Heading up the investigations team is Karen Baxter, an employment and partnership law specialist that advises on investigations involving allegations of professional misconduct, team moves, partner obligations and disputes. Michael Burd is known for his focus on large-scale and international litigation, arbitration and agreements work. Managing associate Frances Simm, described by one client as a ‘star,’ has recently advised international law firms, national accountancy firms and individuals on contentious LLP disputes and investigations. Professional services specialist Chris Hallinan joined the practice in July 2023 from Addleshaw Goddard .