Employment
Mishcon de Reya LLP is home to an experienced employment team that stands out for its work in High Court litigation, workplace investigations and trade union disputes. Practice head Daniel Naftalin is active in High Court litigation, investigations work and restructuring issues. Joanna Blackburn has broad experience extending to terminations, discrimination claims and TUPE, while Susannah Kintish frequently advises on restrictive covenants, contractual matters and settlement agreements. Sharon Tan is adept at handling the full range of employment issues, including litigation and the employment aspects of transactions. Matthew Wood is active in High Court cases, particularly in disputes surrounding team moves. Emily Knight and Katie Mahoney were promoted to partner last year, and Mark Kaye joined the team from BCLP.
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Work Department
Employment
Position
Sharon is a Partner in the Employment department with significant experience advising on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law.
She brings a commercial and strategic approach to the increasing array of employment issues that clients face, and is adept at handling matters ranging from executive contract negotiations/exit arrangements, business restructurings and redundancies to Remuneration Code issues and the operation of forfeiture provisions (malus and claw-back).
Sharon has particular expertise in complex, high-value Employment Tribunal disputes, and High Court litigation, including team moves and the enforcement of restrictive covenants, as well as bonus, discrimination and whistleblowing claims. She has advised LLPs on partnership matters and is well-versed in the issues that affect their members. She also has a breadth of experience advising on the employment aspects of domestic and multi-jurisdictional corporate transactions, and in managing international projects involving complex legal issues and sensitive business considerations.
Her client base spans multiple business sectors and includes financial and private equity institutions, manufacturers, insurers, sporting organisations, charitable foundations and online businesses. Clients range from well-known global brands and internationally listed organisations to entrepreneurial businesses.
Recognised as a leading employment lawyer by Chambers UK and Legal 500, Sharon is the subject of excellent reviews, with clients and peers citing her in these publications as “a tremendously clever lawyer” who is “really on the ball”, "supportive and commercial" and “on top of the case”. Chambers UK states: 'Sharon Tan has a comprehensive grasp of the entire spectrum of employment law, attaining effusive recommendations from senior market sources. To cite one client, "she gets the relevant points very quickly and takes time to understand our business."' Sharon is also one of only two employment lawyers to be named in The Lawyer Hot 100 2016 and has been recognised by Who's Who Legal: Labour, Employment & Benefits every year since 2016 as a leading practitioner in the employment law field.
Sharon also advises on data privacy and data security laws, and the creation and deployment of data privacy programmes, with a particular focus on the applicability of such laws to the personal data of employees.
Career
Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP; Partner, McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP; Associate, McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP; Associate, Allen & Overy LLP; Trainee, Allen & Overy LLP
Memberships
Sharon Saspeaks regularly at employment law seminars and conferences and is a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘We work particularly closely with David Parsons, who has a very in-depth knowledge of our organisation and our risk appetite and he ensures we have a strong team to support us. ’
‘Work opposite big teams on big ticket litigation. Hannah Ring is stepping up as an experienced associate in high court employment litigation.’
‘Katie Mahoney just made partner and rightly so. One of the stars of High Court world embracing partnership issues, senior employees and post termination restrictions. Knows her litigation inside out and gets the results that clients want. ’
'Katie Mahoney is outstanding in every way. Her level of knowledge, experience and dedication is unparalleled. Her client-handling skills are incredible (clients genuinely adore her). She is a tough litigator with excellent judgment. I expect her star to continue to rise rapidly within Mishcon and the market for High Court employment litigation generally.'
'Daniel Naftalin is extremely impressive. His advice to clients is as authoritative as that of any KC at the Bar.’‘Katie Mahoney is absolutely exceptional. When presented with a fraught employment issue which was well outside my sphere of knowledge and experience, and which was creating a lot of stress for me, speaking to her was like stepping straight into the calm of the eye of the hurricane. She has immense knowledge of and experience in her field and brings calm and pragmatism to a problem. She always gives clear and positive advice. Just brilliant to have on your side.
‘Joanna Blackburn – The most impressive employment lawyer that I’ve met in my career, and I’ve met a lot. A wealth of experience in some of the more unusual areas of employment law, a truly commercial mindset, and advises and defends your business as though its her own. Simply brilliant.
'Jennifer Millins – Highly experienced, insightful, and very pragmatic. Makes the complicated very straightforward.'
Key clients
- Chanel Ltd Crisil Irevna UK Limited