Martin Palmer > Chambers of Gavin Mansfield KC > London, England > Barrister Profile

Martin Palmer

020 7797 8600 mpalmer@littletonchambers.co.uk View profile

Position

Transferred to the Bar after nine years practising as a solicitor, latterly as a senior associate at Allen & Overy. He is regarded by clients and solicitors as having a ‘firm commercial and practical grasp of what lay clients want’, and ‘able to understand the challenges faced by and requirements of solicitors’. Has established a busy and successful practice based around employment and related commercial litigation. This covers disciplinary and regulatory matters including acting on behalf of individuals, teams and businesses involved in sport, particularly football, rugby union and Formula One/other motorsports. Regularly advises and appears before the High Court in restrictive covenant and garden leave applications for injunctive relief. Commercial litigation practice includes: breach of employment contract claims in High Court; disputes between commercial parties; acting for firms and partners in partnership disputes; director disputes and associated fiduciary complaints. Instructed by leading City/London and regional firms as well as in-house solicitors/counsel. Has extensive experience of clients in the finance, creative/media, engineering and hospitality industries. Retains a busy paperwork practice as well as advising on the employment aspects of commercial transactions and the application of TUPE. Recent examples of work include: acting for the former chief designer of a Formula One team in the Ferrari spying litigation; successfully appearing for the transferor in the first service provision change case under TUPE 2006 to come before the EAT; acting for an employer in the first challenge under the Age Regulations to age-based vesting/termination provisions of a share option scheme; acting for a leading rugby union coach in RFU disciplinary proceedings; acting for a major vehicle component supplier in a dispute with a large European automobile manufacturer over cancellation of supply contracts; advising on a major outsourcing exercise; and successfully appearing for a major arm of HM government and its senior officers in relation to claims for race discrimination and victimisation. Provides regular training sessions (including advocacy coaching) to firms of solicitors as well as conducting disciplinary and grievance hearings on behalf of clients.

Career

Qualified as a solicitor 1994; senior associate Allen & Overy 1994; called to the Bar 2003; Inner Temple. Contributor to Butterworth’s ‘Employment Law: Practice, Procedure & Precedents’.

Memberships

ELBA; ILS.

Education

King Edward’s School, Birmingham; Exeter College, Oxford.