Lydia Seymour > Chambers of James Counsell KC and Keith Bryant KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Chambers of James Counsell KC and Keith Bryant KC
Outer Temple Chambers
THE OUTER TEMPLE, 222 STRAND
LONDON
WC2R 1BA
England

Living Wage

Work Department

Pensions, Employment and Discrimination Law ((including professional negligence in both areas)

Position

Barrister specialising in Pensions and Employment & Discrimination Law, including Professional Negligence claims in both areas.

Career

Lydia Seymour was called to the bar in 1997 and was appointed as a fee paid judge of the Employment Tribunal in 2005.

Lydia Seymour has a specialist pensions and employment law practice, including professional negligence claims in both areas. She has been recognised by the legal directories as a leading junior since 2005 and is listed for employment, pensions and professional negligence.

Her practice includes all aspects of ‘black letter’ pensions law, including: de-risking, rectification,  issues arising in multi-employer schemes and trustee duties. Her clients include the Pensions Regulator, employers, trustees, trade unions and individuals.

She also acts in claims of professional negligence arising from actuarial and legal advice to pension schemes, including cases in which allegations of breach of duty have also been made in respect of professional or lay trustees.

Given the dual nature of her practice, Lydia has developed a particularly strong reputation in the areas of crossover between pensions and employment law, and she is instructed in many of the leading cases in this area, particularly those which raise issues of age or sex discrimination in relation to pension provision, TUPE and breach of trust and confidence.

She also has substantial experience of statutory schemes and advises regularly on issues relating to the Local Government Pension Scheme, the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, University Superannuation Scheme and the NHS Pension Scheme.

Lydia has wide experience of employment and discrimination cases at all levels, appearing regularly in complex and high-profile discrimination and whistleblowing matters. She is also regularly instructed in claims arising out of the termination of employment, particularly those raising bonus or restrictive covenant issues.

Lydia sat as a fee paid Employment Judge in various London regions for 12 years.

Lydia has a first-class degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Oxford University and a distinction in the CPE Diploma in Law.

Clients and the legal directories have recognised her excellence in analysis and advocacy, ability to explain complex issues in plain English and strong commitment to her cases.

Languages

Conversational French

Memberships

  • Sat as a fee-paid Employment Judge in various London regions for 12 years.
  • APL
  • ELBA

Education

Kingston College of Further Education; Oxford University (1995 BA First Class).

Lawyer Rankings

London Bar > Professional negligence

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 6

Lydia SeymourOuter Temple Chambers ‘Lydia is very hardworking and has an extremely impressive grasp of the detail and understanding of complex issues. She is superb to work with and brilliant with clients.’

Outer Temple Chambers is especially skilled with navigating professional negligence claims arising out of pension schemes. Nicholas Hill has a wealth of experience with professional liability cases in both the pensions and the financial services sector, including matters relating to negligent tax advice as well as claims against actuaries and solicitors. With more than three decades of experience, Andrew Spink KC is an expert with handling high-value claims concerning pension schemes. Lydia Seymour recently acted in Avon Cosmetics Ltd v Dalriada Trustees & Anr, a case concerning the validity of a negligent amendment to a pension scheme.

London Bar > Employment

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 2

Lydia SeymourOuter Temple ChambersLydia is formidable. A silk in waiting.’

London Bar > Pensions

(Leading Juniors)Ranked: Tier 1

Lydia SeymourOuter Temple ChambersLydia makes a very complicated topic clear and understandable. She is great with clients and provides both technical and pragmatic advice.