Business
Employment
Our specialist team of employment law solicitors for businesses helps steer you through the maze of employment laws and regulations, from recruitment to termination and beyond. In close liaison with you, our approachable people will assess your needs, construct a strategy and deliver the right outcomes. We work hard to understand your business and commercial priorities, so we can give advice which is cost-effective and reduces your risk, while remaining up to date and easily understood.
Employment Law Services
Our employment law solicitors in Brighton are experts in:
The importance of appropriate and up-to-date employment contracts can be overlooked until it is too late. We help our clients by ensuring that the contracts they use not only set out the arrangements agreed with employees, but also protect confidential information and business relationships. A well-drafted contract can ensure that the employee understands what is expected of them and can help an employer to be in the best position to take whatever action may be needed during and after the contract ends.
Responding to economic changes and market pressures can produce a need to reorganise your business and reduce/increase your workforce. We can guide you through the relevant process so that the risks you face are mitigated. If you are undergoing a sale or merger or are acquiring a business, we can take you through the extremely technical TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations) process.
Protect your business by having properly drafted polices and handbooks. Suitable procedures will assist you in managing your staff and will also help you control issues which arise with your workforce. Our employment team are experienced in addressing the legal and practical matters which crop up with all workforces from time to time.
Any process which takes up management time is a cost to your business. We will assist you in carrying out a disciplinary process or conducting a grievance hearing so that you do so as efficiently and effectively as possible. That will mean your internal costs are reduced and your exposure is limited by following a lawful process.
A termination of employment may require a number of issues to be addressed: disciplinary procedures, enforcement of post-employment restrictions, negotiation of settlement agreements and tribunal claims. Our extensive experience in all of these areas will allow us to provide the practical advice you may need to address any of these matters.
Your Employment Experts
Get to know those who are here to help you
Clare Waller
Partner, Employment Law
Experience
Clare works with employers of all sizes and across all industries as well as senior executives and other individuals, advising on both contentious and non contentious aspects of employment law. This ranges from the provision of ongoing advice on disciplinary and grievance procedures, performance management processes and statutory rights to drafting contracts of employment, service agreements and staff handbooks to representing clients before the Employment Tribunal or civil courts in cases of unfair dismissal, breach of contract, claims to enforce post termination restrictive covenants and breaches of confidentiality. Clare has experience of representing clients in complex discrimination claims at first instance and in the appeal courts.
Clare designs and delivers client training on any aspect of employment law as well as undertaking regular public speaking engagements.
Recent Notable Cases
Clare recently acted for an employer and two individual Respondents in a multi million pound discrimination claim. She also successfully defended a client against a claim of race discrimination arising of out allegedly discriminatory Photoshopped images being circulated within the workplace.
She is currently advising on the design and implementation of redundancy consultation processes, including where collective consultation obligations have been engaged.
Clare also works closely with the Dean Wilson Company and Commercial team providing employment law support to its successful mergers and acquisitions function.
Background
Clare read Law at the University of Reading and achieved distinction in the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law, Guildford. She trained at HRJ Law in Hitchin and qualified in 1999. She obtained a Masters degree in Employment Law from the University of East Anglia in 2006. She became a Partner at HRJ in 2002, joined Hewitsons in Cambridge and Northampton in 2010 and then joined Dean Wilson to head up its employment law team in October 2019.
Areas of Specialism
Unfair dismissal, discrimination, breach of contract, post termination restrictions, contracts of employment, company handbooks, disciplinary and grievance procedures.
Hermione Porter
Solicitor, Employment Team
Areas of Specialism
After undertaking a varied training contract with the firm, Hermione qualified into the Employment department in September 2023. Before qualification Hermione spent her final seat in the Employment team where she gained experience advising both employers and employees on a variety of matters.
Hermione provides continuing support to employers on a range of areas of employment law. She has previously worked with clients advising on matters such as maternity leave arrangements, Working Time Regulations and redundancy procedures. Hermione is also involved with litigious matters recently assisting an employer defending a race discrimination claim brought in the Employment Tribunal.
Hermione has experience with undertaking a range of drafting tasks. She can assist with preparing, reviewing and updating contracts of employment, staff handbooks, consultancy agreements and disciplinary procedures.
Hermione also provides advice to individuals and has previously advised employees on matters such as unfair dismissal and disability discrimination. Hermione also has experience with advising on settlement agreements.
Background
Hermione started with Dean Wilson as a paralegal in 2021. She read Law at the University of Sussex and completed her LPC at the University of Law, Guildford. During her time studying she also participated in schemes providing pro-bono legal advice.
As well as employment matters, Hermione also has a keen interest in GDPR related queries and provides advice on employers obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.
Factsheets
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Settlement Agreements
Protecting Business Interests When Employees Leave
Statutory Payments
Flexible Working and Employee Rights
Employed or Self-Employed? What’s the difference
Work Experience Students – Avoiding Employment Risks
Avoiding Discrimination During Recruitment
Monitoring Employees in the Workplace
What is Constructive Dismissal?
Changing Terms and Conditions of Employment
Social Media in the Workplace
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Read our Latest News
On Employment
Amendments to the Right to Request Flexible Working Arrangements on the way