UK
The world of employment law is complex and ever changing. While the best option is to avoid problems before they arise, we understand that a pro-active approach is not always possible. Our employment lawyers will work with you to reduce risk and plan for the future, while also advising you during difficult times.
From the everyday to the strategic, our team advises businesses and organisations on the full range of employment issues. Operating as one unit from our offices in Birmingham and London, our team has a standalone reputation when it comes to employment law in the UK. As part of a full-service law firm, we also regularly collaborate with lawyers from across our other practice areas such as tax, health and safety, and financial services regulation.
We have worked on a multitude of time-sensitive, large and complex projects, investigations and restructuring exercises while also delivering business as usual operational HR, advisory and litigation advice.
Our contentious experience covers High Court business protection litigation through to complex discrimination and whistleblowing tribunal claims, with experience in equal pay litigation, agency worker disputes, national minimum wage compliance and holiday pay.
As the needs of employers continue to evolve and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues become increasingly important, there are key areas where we can offer particular employment law advice.
Employment tribunals can be a time-consuming and expensive process for employers and employees. Our team offers businesses comprehensive advice on all aspects of employment tribunal methodology, working with you at every stage of the process. Aside from being at the cutting edge of employment law, we have a deep understanding of presenting witness evidence and the working methods of the tribunal.
For any employee relations issues the quality of the initial investigation is critical. Our investigation team benefits from in-house experience and can support on carrying out independent investigations, project managing cross-border and cross-discipline investigations and advising you when handling them in-house.
Restrictive covenants allow an employer to restrict the use of integral business information and intellectual property by employees after their employment has ended, ensuring that the employer's know how and customer connections do not become an asset to a competitor. We advise on all aspects of restrictive covenants including drafting, enforcement and disputes.
Whistleblowing / speaking up is a key part of corporate governance and risk management that requires careful handling and if poorly managed can lead to disputes and litigation. Our employment solicitors advise on all aspects of whistleblowing, from implementing a framework for raising concerns and training managers to investigating concerns raised and handling tribunal and High Court litigation.
Our full suite of employment law services
- Agency and atypical worker structures
- Business protection
- Business re-structurings and redundancies
- Discrimination in employment
- Discrimination in goods and services
- Employee investigations
- Employment and equalities law training
- Employment benefits/bonuses
- Employment litigation
- Employment terminations (including senior executives)
- On-boarding and managing employees in the workplace
- Structural pay issues (equal pay / National Minimum Wage Compliance / Agency worker rights)
- Trade unions and worker representation
- Whistleblowing and ESG
- Senior Managers Regime compliance
Client work
Gowling WLG really knows our business and makes sure it delivers its advice according to our needs.The Legal 500
Working with UK and international private and public sector clients, we have in-depth experience across a range of sectors including manufacturing, real estate, life sciences, financial services, technology, retail, aviation, social housing, healthcare and central and local government. Some of our past and current projects include:
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
Advising on all workforce issues, including reviewing and updating template employment contracts and HR policies, providing TUPE and contractor continuity advice, advising on the social values charter, and providing ongoing support with a range of queries.
London Borough of Croydon
Acted in relation to a complex and multi-faceted employment tribunal claim brought by members of its Public Health team.
NVM Private Equity
Advised on its £7 million investment into Chemigraphic, the leading provider of Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS). The deal involved a cross-practice team utilising the knowledge of our corporate, insurance, and employment lawyers.
Recognition and reputation
We are proud to be recognised as a highly respected team in the legal and wider business market. Our team achieved the top The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners rankings for Employment in the Midlands in 2021, as well as National Leaders outside London for the latter.
We regularly host our own seminars and events, as well as for the Industrial Law Society (ILS) and Employment Lawyers Association (ELA). The ILS is a 'not-for-profit' charity; set up to promote the understanding of employment law and industrial relations and to stimulate debate in these fields. Members of our team also sit on the LexisPSL Employment Editorial Board and the Birmingham Law Society Employment Law Committee.
Contact our team
With extensive knowledge of the intricacies of employment law across the full spectrum of issues, we offer creative, decisive, and trusted legal advice that gives clients access to tried and tested strategies, unique in-house experience, and innovative solutions. Contact our Employment team today for further guidance and support.
Jane Fielding
Partner, Head of Employment, Labour & Equalities
For the defence of a claim for unfair or wrongful dismissal in an Employment Tribunal please see our example pricing model document.