Employment
Lauded as ‘fearless lawyers and very creative thinkers’, the team at Leigh Day primarily act for individuals and trade unions in equal pay, discrimination, and gig economy claims. The team’s diverse client base includes supermarkets, retailers, and local authorities. Practice co-heads Nigel MacKay and Emma Satyamurti lead on high-profile holiday pay, whistleblowing, and group equal pay litigation. Chris Benson advises private sector clients on equal pay matters, while Kiran Daurka focuses on age and sex discrimination cases. Paula Lee handles whistleblowing and unfair dismissal claims, including those before the Supreme Court. Recognised by clients for his ’unrivalled experience in this area,’ Michael Newman is a key contact for trade union detriment and local authority equal pay disputes. Elizabeth George leads group equal pay actions nationally, and Annie Powell frequently acts in gig economy and belief discrimination claims. Liana Wood, primarily claimant-focused, has recently advised on modern slavery and holiday pay issues, while Nick Webster is notably experienced in reasonable adjustments and victimisation claims in employment tribunals.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
Employment
Position
Partner
Career
Nigel is a partner and joint head of the Employment Department at Leigh Day.
Nigel deals with all aspects of employment and discrimination law. He represents employees, senior executives and trade union clients in claims before the Employment Tribunal all the way up to the Supreme Court. Nigel also advises on contracts, restrictive covenants and bonus issues.
Nigel has particular expertise in advising senior directors and executives, as well as those working in the gig economy.
Nigel is a frequent public speaker on employment law issues and is regularly asked to provide comment to the media.
Memberships
Nigel is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association training committee.
Content supplied by Leigh Day
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Annie Powell is a powerhouse and is entirely focused on getting a good outcome for her clients. She has a great combination of strategy and tactical thinking and applies this to her excellent, expert knowledge of equality and employment law. Annie also has a wonderful personality and is easy to work with. Having Annie by my side has been life-changing.'
‘What made them stand out is their experience in dealing with individuals rather than organisations, their strong values surrounding equality and fairness, their dedication to achieving the best outcome for their clients, their care for clients, and their resilience and conviction when dealing with the opposing side in court.’
Key clients
- Next workers
- Bolt drivers
Work highlights
Represented Next workers in a group equal pay claim, achieving a successful Tribunal judgment.