Paris Smith LLP

Employment Law

LLP Partner - Head of Employment Department

I am a partner and head up our Employment team.  My main areas of expertise are in:

• discrimination issues;

• settlement agreements, including settlement agreements for senior executives often involving shareholder and restrictive covenant issues;

• employment tribunal claims, including complex discrimination claims;

• the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006; and

• restrictive covenant and confidentiality issues.

I work closely with my clients, getting to know their businesses, so that I can provide commercially orientated practical advice, taking account of the particular needs and circumstances of each client.  I am an excellent strategist, ensuring that from the beginning of a matter or case I have agreed a clear way forward with my client.

I am responsive to the needs of my clients, ensuring a prompt response to queries.  I am also flexible in my approach, including in relation to fees.

I have a particular expertise in the education sector.  In this regard, I am vice chair of governors at Totton College, where I also chair the HR Committee, and am a member of the Audit Committee, Policy and Performance Committee and the Remuneration Committee.

I am a member of the management committee of the Employment Lawyers Association. I am also the Employment Lawyers Association’s representative on the Law Society Council.

Work highlights/reported Decisions:

• Represented clients in respect of a number of substantial tribunal cases, including discrimination cases (including cases resulting in a 12 day, and a 20 day, tribunal hearing) and TUPE cases (including one resulting in a 9 day case on whether TUPE applied).

• Represented clients in numerous cases before the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

Notable cases include:

• Esso Petroleum Limited v Jarvis, EAT, 2002 – employment status of agency workers

• Vaughan v London Borough of Lewisham, EAT, 2013 – costs awards