Mugni Islam-Choudhury

Mugni has interest and expertise in dealing with high value claims, particularly in the field of discrimination (e.g. recently involved in a number of lifetime career loss claims for stress/disability discrimination), whistle-blowing, and High Court injunctive relief involving IP issues (e.g. confidentiality and business protection). Having recently moved back to the Bar, Mugni has been instructed by large firms such as Eversheds, Irwin Mitchell and Bevan Brittan, as well as local authority in-house legal teams at Warwickshire Council and Staffordshire Council. Mugni regularly appears in the Employment Tribunal and EAT in a variety of hearings. He has acted for a whole range of NHS/health sector clients, as well as large private sector clients such as Centrica (British Gas), Diageo plc, Severn Trent Water, The Automobile Association, Unipart, National Grid and Tarmac Limited. Public sector clients include: the Forensic Science Service, the Legal Ombudsman of England and Wales, Worcester City Council, Warwickshire Council and Warwickshire Police and Southampton City PCT. Mugni has appeared successfully against and alongside leading advocates in the employment field such as John Hendy QC and James Goudie QC. Mugni has recently been instructed by the Forensic Science Service on a number of hearings dealing with technical issues concerning redundancies as well as appearing in a number of complex doctors’ disciplinary cases. Notable cases: Pannu & others v (1) Premier Manufacturing (2) General Motors & others (2010) (ET) – successfully appearing for Premier in a complex and novel TUPE case with 35 claimants and 1 Trade Union, co-defending with James Goudie QC acting for GM. Both succeeded in arguing no TUPE transfer on the basis that the goods and service exclusion applied to the service provision change; Myburgh v Diageo (2010) (ET) – successfully appearing for Diageo in an indirect sex discrimination. The claimant, a part-time female middle manager, with childcare responsibilities, was challenging a standard contractual clause to work ‘such additional hours as the business required from time to time’. Mugni successfully argued that the clause was justified on the novel point that the legitimate aim of the clause was to facilitate rather than hinder part time working.

Called 1996; Lincoln’s Inn; pupil barrister, 11 Bolt Court (Chambers of Richard Mandel) 1996-97; barrister (tenant), Clarendon Chambers 1997-2003; barrister, Cartwright Cunningham Haselgrove & Co 2003-04; barrister and senior associate in employment, Bevan Brittan 2004-10; senior associate barrister, Eversheds 2010-12; barrister, No 5 Chambers 2012.

Manchester Grammar School (1992); University College London (1995 LLB (Hons) Law); Inns of Court School of Law (1996 Bar Vocational Course).