Employment Claims
We are used to handling contentious work such as injunctions and claims in the High Court and the full range of Employment Tribunal claims.
We work with both employers and employees to manage and negotiate exits quickly and efficiently. However, it is not always possible to prevent an unfair dismissal claim. When it comes to any claim we will adopt a determined and resourceful approach to litigation. We advise our clients on how to resolve disputes as quickly and effectively as possible, but when necessary we will use whatever force is required to deal with litigation.
Restrictive covenants are vital to protect a business against competition by former employees, however they are notoriously difficult to enforce. Should action be necessary against a former employee, employers must act quickly and strategically to achieve the right result. We have the expertise necessary to draft and advise on restrictive covenants, and have considerable experience in pursuing and defending restrictive covenant cases on behalf of both employers and employees, using injunction proceedings where necessary.
Competition by former employees can also include team moves. There is often a fine line between team moves that are lawful and those that are unlawful. We advise on both sides on team moves, including advising on acquiring teams without incurring liability or, conversely, protecting a business against the poaching of a team together with the significant disruption and costs caused.
The law on bonuses and remuneration has been the subject of much change and significant media interest in recent years. As a result, we are also used to advising both employers and employees on bonus claims in the High Court.
We understand that costs can be an issue when bringing or defending a claim and we will work with you to ensure that we budget in a sensible and open manner.
We maintain a commercial approach to what you can achieve, outlining the personal, financial and time investment that will be involved. We exercise pragmatism but can also apply proportionate force at the appropriate time.
Representative Employment Claims Work
Examples of our employment team’s employment claims work include:
- Advised on a claim for non-payment of a contractual bonus for a former employee of a large hedge fund. Successfully negotiated settlement following mediation which took place after the issue of pleadings.
- Advised a defendant in a claim brought by his employer for breach of contract, fiduciary duty and restrictive covenants. We issued a counterclaim for unpaid bonus and were able to negotiate favourable settlement terms.
- Advised a recruitment business in a claim for injunctive relief and compensation against ex-employees and their new business for unlawful removal of confidential information and breach of post-termination restrictive covenants.
- Advised numerous clients on pursuing and defending unfair dismissal claims including most recently defending claims of unfair and wrongful dismissal brought against a wealth management business client which settled shortly before a six day hearing.
