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Employment Law

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CONTENTS

Key employment law services
Flexible fees
Employment law work examples in 2020:

Services

Employment law is constantly changing but our team of expert lawyers is here to help your business to proactively manage your employment issues. We provide commercially orientated practical advice and pragmatic solutions which are tailored to the needs and circumstances of your business.

Key employment law services

Our team of employment lawyers can advise you on all employment law related issues including:

employment contracts, director service agreements and consultancy agreements;
policies and staff handbooks;
performance management;
disciplinary issues and dismissals;
absence management and ill-health capability issues;
handling grievances;
advice on family friendly rights;
discrimination advice;
redundancies and restructuring;
employment issues related to mergers, acquisitions and disposals;
TUPE regulations;
protected conversations and settlement agreements, including director exits and shareholder issues;
whistleblowing;
managing mental ill health in the workplace;
employee GDPR (data protection) advice and documentation;
employment status issues including IR35;
post-termination restrictive covenants and breach of confidentiality issues, including injunction proceedings in the High Court; and
Employment Tribunal claims, including advocacy and representation at hearings.

Flexible fees

We understand that employers can perceive the cost of instructing a solicitor to be daunting, particularly if faced with the cost of defending an Employment Tribunal claim. To assist our clients, we have developed flexible fee arrangements to give our clients access to instant legal advice whilst offering financial peace of mind regarding their legal spend. We can provide:

retainer arrangements with or without insurance backing;
capped fee Tribunal representation; and
fixed fees for drafting and reviewing documents.

Employment law work examples in 2020:

Advising on the furlough scheme and the changing rules relating to this scheme.
Advising on numerous redundancy situations including collective redundancies.
Advising employees in mass-settlement agreement exercises.
Representing clients in respect of a number of substantial Employment Tribunal cases, including:
- TUPE claim for an employer where 15 employees brought an action concerning the application of the TUPE Regulations;
- Whistleblowing claims in the Employment Tribunal for employers and employees; and
- Discrimination claims;
Obtaining injunctions and undertakings in restrictive covenant and confidentiality cases.
Advising on director exits where the issues involved are often complex and high value, involving both employment and shareholder issues.
Representing a client on a national minimum wage case before the Court of Appeal.
Advising on insolvency situations for employers.

How we’ve helped our clients

“Paris Smith always provide us with excellent service, we use them for their employment law expertise and they have guided us through some complex situations with various employee issues as well as some major restructures. ”

HR Manager

Formaplex Ltd

“ Paris Smith provides outstanding service. Our experience is continually a high positive one with concise, relevant advice given with patience and clarity. From assistance and training in updating policies and procedures to advising a college on their obligations both in relation to individuals and more widely, in regards to the Public Sector Equality Duty, we have found Paris Smith to be always diligent, thorough and very supportive.”

Totton College

Chambers and Partners Legal Directory 2022

Respected employment team, noted for its strong reputation in the local market, which acts for both employees and employers and has significant experience in acting on both sides of senior-level exits. Represents clients in employment tribunals and restrictive covenant actions as well as aiding companies with employment training programmes. Regularly advises clients from the education and transport sectors.

“They are very professional and responsive,” according to a client, who goes on to say: “We get a very good service from them.”

Notable Practitioners :

Claire Merritt is sought out by clients for her ability to advise on both contentious and non-contentious matters. She regularly works with clients on defence strategies in the Employment Tribunal, GDPR issues and ongoing training.

Clive Dobbin leads the firm’s employment practice. He regularly advises on senior-level exits, contractual issues and TUPE matters.

David Roath is an experienced employment lawyer and mediator who acts for corporate clients as well as senior employees.

Legal 500 Directory 2022

Paris Smith LLP’s employment practice is regularly instructed by a range of clients in the Hampshire region. The team is particularly adept at handling restrictive covenant actions and senior level exits, most notably on behalf of local authorities, transportation companies, and sixth form colleges and private schools. Practice head Clive Dobbin is a seasoned Employment Tribunal advocate, who has experience of complex discrimination and whistleblowing cases, and TUPE matters. Claire Merritt is the lead for the firm’s education-sector offering, and has recently been engaged on various Covid-19 response mandates. David Roath is recommended for his experience with protective awards regarding collective redundancies, and shareholder exits. All named lawyers are based in Southampton.

Clients say:

“Very professional, easy to contact, responsive, always provides advice in a timely manner”
“Knowledgeable, adaptable to business needs, professional, transparent, responsive, willing to help, take accountability”
“This is a strong team with a good breadth of experience and expertise. They have a strong focus on client care and have been quick to embrace the new technologies that the pandemic has required us to face. They are really good at working as part of a team and also have a good breadth of expertise more widely in the firm to deal with niche issues”
“Paris Smith are excellent employment solicitors. They provide advice that is accurate, helpful and easy to understand. They respond quickly to requests and have access to specialist advisers when needed”