Founding partner, London
My partners and I had all worked in a consultancy capacity for other firms of solicitors. It was clear to us that there was a gap in the market for a firm offering partner-level support in workplace matters. It was because of this that we came together and founded Bloomsbury Square Employment Law in 2021. As we have grown, we have taken on lawyers working on a consultancy basis, but also as employees. We see the importance of offering colleagues the opportunity to work in the manner that gives them the flexibility that a traditional firm may not be able to offer.
Our current client base is mainly employee-focused but not exclusively. Our partners come from a range of legal backgrounds – mainly large and mid-sized national firms – acting for both claimants and respondents. We are building our employer work as we know our partner-only approach is what our growing client base – on both sides – is looking for. A dual perspective enables us to think more strategically and anticipate how the other party is likely to respond in a given situation.
From the start of my career, I was lucky enough to be part of a team working some groundbreaking cases that went to the Employment Appeal Tribunal, Court of Appeal and European Court of Justice. With this as a starting point it was difficult to imagine there could be a more exciting area of law and I still think that. Employment law has the ideal mix of black letter law and the need to be pragmatic and solutions-driven. As an employment lawyer I get to make a significant difference to people’s lives when they are going through a challenging time.
There has been a significant shift in the employment law landscape to resolve matters earlier and without recourse to the employment tribunal or court. All parties are well aware of the significant strain on the tribunal system and the long delays in reaching a substantive hearing. Both sides (mostly) take a pragmatic line that a lengthy dispute ending in litigation is rarely the best way to proceed.
'Employment law has the ideal mix of black letter law and the need to be pragmatic and solutions-driven. As an employment lawyer I get to make a significant difference to people’s lives'
Many parts of employment law could do with change and, regrettably, I don’t think that the current Employment Rights Bill is taking the right approach to reform. For me, there’s an urgent need to provide better protection for whistleblowers. Recent case law has set the bar too high for employees who seek justice when they lose their jobs having raised protected disclosures.
New work comes in from a number of sources – a lot from personal networks, former clients and sometimes even my opponents. The modern workplace can be tricky to navigate and most of us will need an employment lawyer at some stage of our careers. Perhaps it is rather self-serving, but I always tell people to keep their employment lawyer on speed-dial!
My interest in equality derives from the core foundation that everyone should be treated fairly and equally. Discrimination law is constantly evolving and as a practitioner that keeps you on your toes. We get to see how cases shape employers’ policies and effect meaningful change.
All lawyers are searching for the unicorn of a perfect work/life balance. As a partnership, we have worked things out pretty well so far – all of the partners have competing demands on their time – whether because of preparing a case for a multi-day hearing or balancing childcare over long summer holidays. Ultimately, if a client needs my assistance, I’ll always find the time – experiencing flux in the workplace is often a significant life event and you need someone on your side.
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