I was called in 1998 and I practice in mergers and acquisitions, employment and company law. 

I am direct access qualified and also licenced to litigate. 

Mergers and Acquisitions/Corporate Governance documents

I tend to deal with clients directly in this area, usually early on in a potential acquisition.

I advice on heads of terms/LOIs and whether they are needed. I also undertake the legal due diligence process, negotiate variations to the heads and then draft the Share Purchase Agreement (or asset agreement.)

I also arrange and undertake the completion process. 

I can also advice on creative deal structuring from earn outs, work ins, delayed consideration, balloon payments and of course leveraged buy outs.  

I have experience also in £1 transactions as well as ‘no money out of pocket’ structures. 

I understand lawyers can often break deals and so aim to work very quickly on documents to keep the deal momentum.  I advice on the risks but am also aware of the broader bigger picture that an acquisition may fall into. 

I have a competitive fee structure and will consider part or full contigency arrangements depending on the client. 

However, equally important is making sure the SPC with its shareholders is set up right and so I also help clients with shareholder agreements. 

For more complex cases, I work with a team including commercial property solicitors and accountants. 

I also help draft joint venture agreements, employment contracts, policies and procedures, re do articles of association and prepare ancillary corporate govenance documents. 

Employment Law 

I have maintained an employment law practice for my whole professional career and indeed before, as I took FRU cases before I came to the Bar.  

I also deal with cases such as share holder disputes, termination of directors, employees and shareholders, breach of covenants, data theft, unfair prejudice petitions and derivative claims. 

I represent mostly Respondents (but do represent claimants) and advise and represent small and large business alike. 

I have a particular expertise in larger scale claims for local authorities and large companies, particularly in dealing with complex discrimination and whistleblowing claims. 

Particularly over the last year (post March 2020) I have advised large organisations, SMEs and claimants on redundancies, Covid rules, return from lockdown, and restructuring. I have given many webinars on such subjects over the last 18 months. 

Recent Employment Cases 

I advised many local authorities, claimants and small businesses 

In the last few years I have dealt with:

• SC v London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (7 days) - This was a complex potential fraud case which raised tricky procedural issues where I led another member of chambers on behalf of the local authority.
• M v Gen 2 (3 days) - Although short, this was a difficult case against a litigant in person who made allegations of bias against the judge, reported the solicitors to the regulators.
• MSJ v LBHF - (5 days) - Here I represented LBHF in defeating an unmeritorious claim for discrimination and suceeded in a large costs award against the claimant.
• MC v Ministry of Defence - (7 days) - Here I represented a claimant successfully over 7 days with lengthy remedy issues to be resoled.
• R v LBHF (10 days) - This was a long and complex case involving intertwined issues of discrimination, disability discrimination, protected disclosures, reasonable adjustments, victimisation and harassment. There were over 60 allegations and so the case required very thorough preparation and a firm hand to keep it from becoming unmanageable (as far as an advocate can do of course).
• A v A London Borough - The case compromised before trial but involved allegations of corruption  and whistleblowing in a disability/sickness dismissal case.
• C v Stirling Bank (3 days) - A current live case with a silk on the other side.
• O v Westminster CC (5 days) - A very sensitive case involving allegations of race discrimination. Against a litigant in person, the case had to be handled with some care.
• W v Islington CC (6 days) - A legally complex disability discrimination raising intertwined issues of reasonable adjustments,  section 15, section 19 and section 21 claims.
• B v Bukkovar Foods (8 days) - This was a lengthy claim against a Litigant in person alleging disability discrimination.  I also represented successfully before the EAT when the claimant appealed.
• A sin off case in which I appeared recently concerned the implications of a settlement agreement on an ability to take a pension. This was reported in the case of Downe v Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) [2019] 2403 EWHC (ChD). 

Union cases

I have represented 2 local authorities and an London institution defending against claims that alleged disciplinary action had been taken because of Union activities. 

I have also defended a claim which was withdraw where there was an application for interim relief. 

I also have represented many teachers on behalf of the NASUWT, including a 10 day sexual orientation discrimination case in Wales that was successful for the claimant. 

European Works Council Cases 

Although no longer an issue post Brexit, I represented in 3 CAC cases concerning European works agreements (for the EWCs) and have the only recorded E and W recorded case of a fine being levied against an employer for breaches of an EWC. 

I was against silks in 3 of these cases. 

Professional Discipline and Professional Claimants 

I have recently represented a member of the social working profession who was struck off and secured her restoration to the register. 

I have a particular expertise in representing solicitors in employment tribunal claims,  as well as representing them before the SRA/SDT. 

I have recently helped negotiate the exit package of 2 senior solicitors from their places of work. 

I have one of the only reported cases on the status of salaried partners i LLP - in Briars v Williamson v Soden (see below). 

I have also represented many teachers before their regulators, and secured the acquittal of a teacher accused of serious assualt and misconduct. 

I must confess I am not a big fan of the way the regulators act towards professionals, with it seems lot of bureaucracy and a lack of sensitivity. 

Cases have to be pitched and fought just right and I have found the question of what to fight and not fight can make all the difference to a professional future. 

Older cases 

• Baldwin v Brighton and Hove City Council [2007] IRLR 232 - One of the first cases reported on transgender discrimination as well as the correct test for constructive dismissal.
• Orr v Milton Keynes Council  [2009] UKEAT 0506_08_0511 - A case concerning race discrimination and the Iago principal.
• Briars v Williamson & Soden Solicitors [2011] All ER (D) 101 - On the position of salaried partners in a solicitors firm
• Thomas v Samurai Incentives & Promotions Ltd (Practice and Procedure : Amendment)  [2013] UKEAT 0006_13_1503- On Selkent type amendments
• Disotto Foods v Santos  [2014] UKEAT 0623_12_3103 and Disotto Food Ltd v Santos (Practice and Procedure) [2013] UKEAT 0623_12_1005, Reported for consideration of whether the standard of consideration is the same for an employment judge sitting alone as compared with a panel but also concerned the question of substitution.
• Ram v JD Wetherspoon Plc (Unfair Dismissal : Compensation) [2011] UKEAT 0080 - A cross over case concerning a dismissal of a migrant worker, I also represented the same client in the Upper Tribunal (and both cases won).

Commercial cases

I have represented in many fast track and commercial/chancery division cases. 

In 2017, I appeared in the case of Zavahir & anor v Shankleman & ors [2016] EWHC 2772 (Ch), defeating an application to bring a derivative claim. 

In 2018, I represented in a data theft case, mediating the case to a successful conclusion. 

I have represented several individuals/companies directly who were accused of breaching covenants.  Both cases settled on favourable terms to my client without going to Court with undertakings and mediation. 

In 2020, I appeared in what was listed for a 10 day trial for an Indian bank against defaulting guarantors for $20m worth of bank loans. 

Director Misfeasance/Insolvency Claims 

I have done quite a few cases concerning attacks on directors and former directors by insolvency practitioners.  This seems to be a rising trend. 

I have a case in Janaury 2022, (against a silk) for 10 days in the Chancery Division representing a former director of a company who sold the assets of a company but was sued a few years later by the liquidators for the shell claiming undervalue transactions. 

In 2017, over 8 days, I represented a former director who was sued for over £1m by an insolvency practitioner making many wide ranging allegations including wrongful trading. Most failed but for a few on the usual bugbear for small companies, lawful declaration fo dividends and director loans. 

Sectors 

Art 

I have represented a lot of clients in the art sector including:

• a case involving a dealer who bought in haste and repented at leisure at an leading arts fair
• I have drafted sales agreements for works or art
• I have drafted investment agreements for dealers who want to buy ad sell art through companies with investment without requiring fCA regulation;
• I have advised a few clients on AML issues relating to the art market
• I have advised art dealers on their corporate governance issues. 

Education 

I have considerable experience in representing in the education sector in employment disputes.  I have represented 4 schools in London over the last 2 years defeating claims from teaching assistants and teachers alike. 

I have also, as said above, represented teachers against schools with success and also the same clients often before the regulator. 

Local Government 

I am on the panel of the LBLA and appear regularly for local authorities in all kinds of employment issues

SMEs 

I have a wide ranging expertise helping SME’s from corporate governance to restructuring, to internal discipline, systems and procedures for employment law, as well as preparing for exit and being sold/acquiring other companies. 

Previous Experiences  

I had a varied earlier career, starting out with planning and criminal defence and then undertaking an extensive immigration practice, becoming a specialist in Afghanistan and Turkish asylum cases. 

I no longer accept instructions in this field.