A final-year law student successfully helped her mother win at a tribunal after completing a module on employment law.

Elle Holland, 22, supported her mother Gillian before and during a five-day hearing against a represented defendant.

Holland, a law student at the University of Salford Business School, helped to win the unfair dismissal case against her mother’s former employer, a chain of care homes.

Gillian was dismissed in 2020 on the grounds of gross misconduct based on messages posted on her social media channels, but a judge later determined there had been no wrongdoing.

Initially, Gillian represented herself, with supported from ACAS and Citizens Advice. But the case had gone on so long that by the time of the final hearing in December her daughter had studied some employment law and felt able to assist her.

Before the hearing, as the case started to ramp up in July 2022, Elle Holland led on collating evidence including text messages, email correspondence and photographs of explicit protected disclosures, which were submitted to the court to strengthen Gillian’s case.

Elle and Gillian Holland

Elle Holland, 22, supported her mother Gillian before and during a five-day hearing

Holland said: ‘The last three years studying for my law degree were instrumental in supporting my mum through her case. My mum represented herself and I was there and able to support as her reasonable adjustment, due to the anxiety she now suffers with as a result of this experience.’

As the hearing date drew near, Holland juggled her final-year assignments with developing her mother’s closing statement and responding to all 44 points the defendant had raised. By the time of the hearing, she worked on a criminal justice assignment into the early hours before heading into the final day of proceedings.

Gillian won her case on the grounds of automatic unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal and breach of contract. She has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety in the last three years. She described the last three years as very difficult, but seeing her daughter able to help with the case had been ‘amazing’.

Elle Holland added: ‘While we did win against the Legal 500 lawyer representing my mum’s former employer, I was in awe of him and learnt a lot from his approach. This experience, combined with the academic and practical side of the law I have learnt so much about while studying for my degree, enabled me to apply this to my first ever case and have ultimately set me up for a successful career as I prepare to graduate this summer.’