• Employment & Regulatory Law • Education Law Employment Helen was called to the Bar in 2006 after a successful commercial career which has served her well in employment matters enabling her to cut quickly to the pertinent issues and offer sound, practical advice. Her clients have included employees and employers in the private sector, trade unions, local authorities and police forces.
She has experience in a wide range of employment law matters including unfair and wrongful dismissal, redundancy, TUPE, contract claims including applications for injunctive relief, discrimination because of sex, race, age, disability, religious belief, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment and sexual orientation, harassment, whistleblowing, unlawful deduction from wages and holiday pay claims.
Helen has appeared at the EAT and the Court of Appeal and has represented clients in several complex and lengthy Tribunal cases. She has particular experience in cases involving allegations of discrimination, victimisation and whistleblowing. Recent notable cases have included Khan & Others –v- Chief Constable of Cleveland Police where she represented two police officers in their high-profile race claims against Cleveland Police. https://tinyurl.com/y8taexco Education She also offers advice and representation to parents, schools and local authorities in cases concerning discrimination in schools, access to SEN provision, admission decisions/appeals and pupil exclusion decisions. She receives regular instructions from several local authorities in appeals to the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) and has experience before local authority Independent Appeal Panels. She recently successfully represented two students who were reinstated after they had been subject to an unlawful permanent exclusion from school. LECTURES & SEMINARS Helen regularly delivers seminars and lectures in her specialist areas. Recent seminars include:
Tees Valley Law Society – March 2018 – Employment Law Update Royal College of Nursing, Leeds - June 2016 - Whistleblowing in the NHS June 2015 – Holiday Pay Update CIPD Teesside – April 2015 – Employment Law UpdateMEMBERSHIPS
North Eastern Circuit Gray’s Inn Employment Lawyers’ AssociationEDUCATION & AWARDS
MA (Hons) University of St. Andrews – German & International Relations (2:1) College of Law, London – Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction) University of Northumbria – Bar Vocational Course (Outstanding) Atkin Scholar (Gray’s Inn 2007) Winner of BVC Prizes for Best Overall Student and Best Advocate (University of Northumbria 2006)ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Helen was born and bred on Teesside where she lives with her husband and children. She is a school governor and the Chair of Trustees for a local charity which is aimed at increasing access to music education. Helen is accredited under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme and regularly represents both individuals and SMEs directly in employment matters.
North Eastern Circuit
Gray’s Inn
Employment Lawyers’ Association Helen is a member of a number of business networking and marketing groups in the North East and regularly represents both individuals and SMEs directly in employment matters under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme.