Lawyers who bring employment claims launch network

The Employment Law Practitioners Association (ELPA), an organisation for practitioners dealing with applicant work, was launched this week.

One of ELPA's founders, Lawrence Davies of Lambeth Law Centre, said: 'We hope to establish a referral network of organisations which deal with just employee work, and offer courses and training for them,' he said, stressing that ELPA was a 'broad church' and its members did not have to be legally qualified.

Jane Mann, chairwoman of the Employment Lawyers Association and partner at Fox Williams, welcomed the new organisation.

'It will fill a gap in the current system, and provide support for non-legally qualified people who advise individuals on their employment rights,' she said.Ms Mann's group was recently awarded a Law Society council seat despite concerns among some members that it did not sufficiently represent applicant lawyers.Victoria MacCallum