Well-versed at handling 'all aspects of contemporary labour requirements', the partner-led team at Blake Morgan LLP has an excellent reputation among both private and public sector entities for both contentious and non-contentious work. As well as its strong legal and commercial expertise, the team also has deep industry expertise in core targeted sectors, including healthcare, an area that Paula Kathrens , who is appreciated for her 'great client skills', has developed a market-leading reputation for internal disciplinary proceedings involving doctors in NHS Wales. Matthew Smith  has the ability to deliver 'an unusually business savvy level of service' across a range of contentious matters, including as it relates to unfair dismissal, disability discrimination and whistleblowing cases. Joanne Davies  heads up the team and provides 'commercial, efficient and client focused' advice to private and public sector clients on employment issues associated with their transactional work, including as it relates to business acquisitions and subsequent reorganisations and integration.

Led from Cardiff by the ‘exceptional’ Anthony Rees , and also able to leverage the firm’s UK-wide and international resources, Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP is a popular choice for large domestic businesses, as well as multinational corporates, across the full scope of their employment requirements. An accomplished advocate who has a strong track record of success for clients in tribunal hearings, but also effective at advising on international restructurings, Rees is praised for his ‘pragmatic, proportionate and very wise advice’, which he dispenses to clients from a range of sectors, including education providers. ‘Not just a great employment lawyer, but a great partner to the client as well’, Tom Bray excels in providing employment support on international M&A, outsourcing and restructuring projects, and has over the years developed a particular level of specialism advising clients (including Heathrow Airport) within the aviation sector. Thomas Player also excels in handling international employment mandates, including in the context of collective employment law, work which regularly sees him acting in an advisory capacity for many companies operating European Works Councils.

Drawing upon a deep understanding of domestic and international employment law issues associated with ongoing business operations, as well as in the context of ad-hoc transactional work (including major restructurings, M&A mandates and outsourcing), the ‘very strong’ team at Lewis Silkin provides ‘commercially savvy’ advice to private sector employers, both on its own as well as alongside other practitioners spread across the firm’s UK-wide network of offices. Team head Lucy Lewis  has ‘excellent retail knowledge’ and provides ‘very responsive and commercially pragmatic’ strategic advice to many high-profile employers on redundancies/restructuring; sensitive terminations and practical advice on the operation of TUPE. Richard Moore  ‘provides business friendly advice’ on the employment law issues arising from corporate transactions and commercial outsourcing arrangements. At an associate level, Charlotte Morgan continues to impress (although her recent work has been largely made in the context of a secondment role for a large US bank), and Neil Dite has ‘an ability to explain complicated areas easily and thoroughly’, particularly in relation to international employment matters impacting clients in the manufacturing sector.

Under the very effective leadership of the ‘exceptional’ Claire Knowles, the ‘responsive, proactive and supportive’ team at Acuity Law continues to gain traction in the market and ‘has a good balance of experience and developing lawyers’. The arrival in February 2022 of the ‘very likeable, professional and sensible’ Juliette Franklin from Slater and Gordon has provided the firm with added gravitas on the contentious front, as a result of her claimant-side prowess in relation to discrimination claims. The recruitment in January 2023 of senior associate Rubel Bashir , also formerly of Slater and Gordon, enhances the associate ranks that also includes the ‘proactive and commercially focused’ Adam McGlynn . As well as his fee-earning work, McGlynn has also been very effective at developing technology-based products (alongside the firm’s existing longstanding Acuity Counsel subscription offering) including the Redundancy Costs Calculator and the IR35 Assist assessment tool.

Capital Law Limited provides ‘sensible, responsive and practical advice‘ to a varied mix of private (including a growing number of technology and pharmaceutical clients) and public sector entities across a wide range of contentious and non-contentious matters. Leveraging his knowledge gleaned from private practice as well as in-house, team head Richard Thomas  has vast experience across a range of employment (including in relation to collective employment law) and data protection matters, knowledge which he effectively deploys in relation to both fee-earning work, as well as training sessions. The 'personable' David Lewis  leverages his litigation expertise to good effect both from a risk management perspective, as well as on behalf of clients defending claims of alleged discrimination, where he will often undertake the advocacy himself. The ‘extremely helpful’ Sarah Austin  provides ‘practical solutions’, particularly as it relates to corporate support, including the employment issues associated with the firm’s private equity roster of clients on their investments. Senior associate Gemma Bailey joined from Howells Solicitors in January 2023 and adds further weight behind the firm’s contentious employment, in particular.

 

 

Informed by ‘a clear understanding of the public sector’, as well as acting for a robust portfolio of private sector companies – including a growing number of financial services clients – the ‘experienced and highly knowledgeable’ team at Geldards LLP provides a versatile offering that is underscored by a deeply rooted commercial perspective, as well as a core understanding of the underlying law. ‘Highly intelligent and astute’ team head Lowri Phillips is ‘practical in outlook and approach’, skills which she deploys effectively in an advisory context as well as in litigation, particularly as it relates to equal pay and whistleblowing cases. Joga Singh is ‘exceptionally robust in his advice’ on standalone employment issues, including workplace disputes and restructuring exercises, as well as in a corporate support setting.

The 'knowledgeable and attentive' team at Hugh James is adept at handling a broad spectrum of both individual and collective employment matters, for diverse range of clients, including domestic and UK-wide corporates, as well as many public sector entities. Team head Louise Price exemplifies the versatility of the firm's offering, being as comfortable handling corporate support work and large-scale TUPE transfers, as she is advising on pensions matters and defending clients in high-stakes employment litigation. Although she is a relatively new partner, Rhiannon Dale 'is able to pick up on points that other experienced partners may overlook', and is therefore a very safe choice for respondents in litigation, as well as on complex non-contentious work including on highly technical issues relating to the application of TUPE.

The 'exceptionally knowledgeable' team at Morgan LaRoche provide a 'totally personal and bespoke service' to South West Wales-based businesses across the gamut of their non-contentious and contentious employment/HR law requirements. 'Professional and personable' team head Hannah Belton provides 'pragmatic and legally sound advice' both on day-to-day employment and HR matters, as well as in tribunal cases, including in relation to discrimination and whistle-blower cases. Associate Sophie Ray regularly provides corporate support work, including on TUPE issues, as well as providing 'fabulous business support' to local companies, where she adds value by virtue of her previous in-house HR experience.

 

 

Slater and Gordon displays an ‘approachable and pragmatic’ service to employees, including union members, as well as a growing number of senior executives and private clients. ‘Down-to-earth’ senior associate Sian Clarke heads the team and is pivotal to the firm’s success in relation individual litigation claims (including as it relates to unfair and wrongful and constructive dismissal, wages claims, and whistleblowing) as well as group actions.

 

Praised for its ‘customer-focused and pragmatic way of dealing with difficult and emotive matters’, Harrison Clark Rickerbys‘ ‘extremely knowledgeable’ team has, since it was formed in February 2020, ‘established a formidable Welsh presence within a strikingly short space of time’. Key to the firm’s success is the reputation and leadership of team head Chris Mayers , who brings to bear significant experience representing claimants and respondents across a range of employment litigation, and who is able to ‘bring even the most intransigent opponent to the table’. Andrea Thomas  is noted for her ability to provide ‘balanced and commercial advice’ to public and private sector clients both in a standalone advisory capacity as well as in the context of corporate support.