Claire Dawson > Brahams Dutt Badrick French LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Brahams Dutt Badrick French LLP Offices
Kings House
36 King Street
LONDON
EC2V 8BB
England
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Claire Dawson

Work Department
Employment
Position
Partner, Employment Lawyer
Claire acts for senior executives, professionals, directors and LLP members in a variety of sectors including financial services, professional services, multinational organisations, healthcare and technology.
Types of work undertaken:
- Advice to individuals joining new businesses on their contractual arrangements
- Advice on restrictive covenants and team moves
- Negotiation of senior exits
- Discrimination
- Whistleblowing
- High Court litigation including employee competition and breach of contract claims
Claire is skilled at reaching favourable negotiated outcomes where appropriate as well as fighting high value cases in the Employment Tribunal and High Court.
Claire has a particular interest in issues facing women at work including pregnancy and maternity discrimination, the gender pay gap and sexual harassment. Claire frequently advises individuals with physical and mental health conditions in relation to disability discrimination and income protection disputes. She is expert at assisting her clients to navigate internal grievance, disciplinary and performance processes.
Career
Trainee Solicitor, Hammonds (now Squire Patton Boggs), 2002- 2004
Solicitor, Employment Department, Hammonds (now Squire Patton Boggs), September 2004 – August 2005
Solicitor, Employment Department, Russell Jones & Walker, August 2005 – July 2011
Partner, Employment Department, Russell Jones & Walker (became Slater & Gordon), July 2011 – April 2012
Principal Lawyer/Partner, Slater & Gordon, April 2012 – September 2016
Head of Employment, London, Slater & Gordon, September 2016 – July 2017
National Head of Employment, Slater & Gordon, July 2017 – May 2019
Partner, CC Solicitors (Ireland), June 2019 – March 2021
Partner, Brahams Dutt Badrick French LLP, April 2021 – Present
Admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales, September 2004
Admitted as a solicitor in Ireland, January 2013
Languages
Spanish (conversational)
Memberships
Employment Lawyers Association, American Bar Association (Labor & Employment Section), London Irish Lawyers Association
Education
Bachelor of Civil Law (International), University College Dublin, 1997
Exchange Scholar, De Paul University College of Law, Chicago, 1995-1996
LLM Law, SOAS, University of London, 2001
Legal Practice Course, College of Law, Guildford, 2002
Lawyer Rankings
London > Employment > Senior executives
(Next Generation Partners)Clients cannot speak highly enough of the team at Brahams Dutt Badrick French LLP; ‘top flight’ and ‘an absolute powerhouse’ are some of the comments on its services for senior employees. For the whole range of discrimination issues, high-profile sensitive exits, and whistleblowing claims, ‘formidable litigator and negotiator‘ Gareth Brahams and the team steer clients through the tactics and strategies that will produce the best outcome, including taking account of reputational issues. It has deep experience of the financial services sector and other highly regulated industries. The strong team has been further boosted with the arrival of the ‘go-to’ Claire Dawson, who joined in April 2021 and Paula Chan, who joined in late 2020 from Slater and Gordon, and who is noted for her expertise in dealing with partnerships. The ‘outstanding‘ Polly Rodway has a noted focus on sex/maternity discrimination and equal pay disputes and Nick Wilcox, who frequently acts with Dutt, is noted for always providing ‘cogent and wise advice‘. The senior associates also attract praise; Samantha Prosser is reported to be ‘exceptional’ in her handling of Employment Tribunal claims for unfair dismissal, disability discrimination, worker status and whistleblowing detriment.
London > Employment > Employers
Maintaining a strong emphasis on regulated professions, Brahams Dutt Badrick French LLP’s employment practice, fronted by Gareth Brahams, specialises in High Court proceedings, Tribunal litigation and contentious exits. A popular referral choice, the group also undertakes internal investigations and disciplinary issues. It welcomed Paula Chan in September 2020 from Slater and Gordon, as well as Claire Dawson from CC Solicitors in April 2021. Going the other way, in 2020, Ruth Gamble departed while Arpita Dutt retired to a consultancy role.
Lawyer Rankings
- Next Generation Partners - London > Employment > Senior executives
- Senior executives - London > Employment
- Employers - London > Employment