Employment
UK Guide 2025 : East Anglia
Band 2
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
01223 465465About
Provided by Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP
Our employment law team provides fast, proactive and practical legal support. Approachable and commercially aware, our specialists have in-depth experience of the issues faced by businesses when managing their staff.
We keep clients up to date with the raft of new employment law regulations, highlighting how these could impact on their overall strategy and safeguarding against the potentially huge costs of non-compliance.
Our employment solicitors cover the whole spectrum of employment law issues, including contentious and non contentious matters. We advise major companies through to smaller private and owner-managed businesses in a wide variety of sectors, including financial services, healthcare, recruitment, publishing, media, IT, hotels and leisure, manufacturing, retail and professional services. We also act for public companies, academic institutions and other not-for profit organisations.
Although we are experienced litigators, and frequently represent organisations at employment tribunals and in court, we also offer specialist employment law advice in resolving conflict through alternative dispute resolution. Our package of services to ensure optimum management of human resources includes ongoing support through in-house training, seminars, workshops, newsletters and e-bulletins.
Chambers Review
Penningtons Manches Cooper advises employer clients in the life sciences, education and technology sectors on a full range of employment matters. The team offers a comprehensive service that sees it working with clients on matters ranging from day-to-day employment issues through to high-stakes litigation. The firm is also noted for its work for senior employees on issues such as contract negotiations at the start of the employment relationship through to exit negotiations at its end. The employment group is based in Cambridge.
Work Highlights
- Penningtons Manches Cooper represented Christ Church, University of Oxford in employment-related matters, including an equal pay dispute and the appointment of a new dean.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Penningtons Manches Cooper guide us with a confident and risk-averse approach that gives us huge peace of mind and confidence to take action on key strategic decisions."
"Penningtons provide a good blend of legal advice along with practical solutions that meet the needs of the business."
"The firm's knowledge and confident advice is very reassuring. Their advice has always been excellent."
"Penningtons set out the options and discuss them with us, so that as the client we feel that we understand the issues fully and are aware of our options."
"Penningtons Manches Cooper guide us with a confident and risk-averse approach that gives us huge peace of mind and confidence to take action on key strategic decisions."
"Penningtons provide a good blend of legal advice along with practical solutions that meet the needs of the business."
"The firm's knowledge and confident advice is very reassuring. Their advice has always been excellent."
"Penningtons set out the options and discuss them with us, so that as the client we feel that we understand the issues fully and are aware of our options."
Notable Practitioners
Cambridge-based Hilary Aldred has a respected employment practice and is praised for her work in the education and technology sectors. She is best known for her work with employers and has experience working on restructuring exercises, TUPE compliance and sensitive senior exits.
"Hilary gives me huge confidence in moving forward with difficult organisational situations. I cannot rate her highly enough."
"Hilary is our main contact at Penningtons, and her experience advising on legal matters while understanding the nuances of our business and culture has always been highly regarded."
"Hilary is extremely responsive, flexible and easy to discuss cases with."
Managing associate Sophie Whitbread is noted for her extensive experience in employment tribunal matters relating to discrimination and contractual disputes. She is based in the Cambridge office of Penningtons Manches Cooper.
"Sophie provides confident, practical advice which is commercially astute. She always turns around work quickly when required, which can be invaluable."
Charissa Upton is a senior associate based in the firm's Cambridge office. She has notable experience advising clients on both contentious and non-contentious employment matters across multiple sectors.
"Charissa is a very capable all-round employment lawyer."
"Charissa was astute, reassuring, reliable, highly knowledgeable and a real ally. She was a pleasure to work with and filled me with confidence at every step of the process."
"Charissa is a pleasure to work with, giving detailed and prompt responses while being super reliable."
Ranked Lawyers at
Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP
East Anglia