A solicitor in Hertfordshire throughout my extensive career to date, I have widespread experience of many areas of law, both fighting court cases and less contentious work . Dealing with employment law, it has always been my policy to work both for employers and employees as this helps both sides of an issue to be seen more clearly: in turn, this may hasten a practical, commercial solution to a problem.
For employers, preparing constructive documentation, such as a Contract of Employment or internal procedures, reflecting the reality of the workplace combined with identification of problem areas represents the first line of defence against mishaps. Then, providing practical advice helps to reduce the risks of costly mistakes inherent in the tricky situations that inevitably arise between employer and employee even in the best-run businesses or which just arise because of the need to make someone redundant. If there has been an unwise dismissal the situation may be salvaged with a Compromise Agreement.
If things have gone wrong, then I am equipped and experienced to handle employment tribunal and court cases from start to finish. Normally this involves me personally presenting the case at the hearing as I am committed to the view that in most cases a client is far better served that way. Apart from numerous local and city employers whom I have represented I have also acted for several years for members of a national organisation of professional retail outlets in employment (and other) cases.
When acting for employees, whether it may be that there has been an unfair dismissal or a genuine redundancy, my approach is not only to understand the stress that a crisis at work usually entails but also to remain professionally objective in viewing the facts. In appropriate cases I will consider working on a form of no win/no fee or contingency basis.
Whilst my clients largely come from the local region, Hertfordshire, Essex, Bedfordshire and North London, I am happy to handle cases from a wider area. I am geographically well positioned to service cases in London Employment Tribunals at Holborn, Watford and Stratford and further afield in Bury, Croydon, Bedford and Reading.
As a solicitor I am automatically regulated by The Solicitors Regulation Authority, the solicitors’ governing body. I am also a member of the Employment Lawyers Association – and, prior to giving up those areas of work a few years ago in order to concentrate solely on Employment Law work, was a member of the Law Society’s Personal Injury Panel and the 24-hour Duty Solicitor scheme at Police Stations.
