Brahams Dutt Badrick French LLP

Chambers (Firm Owned) Profile

Managing Partner: Gareth Brahams

Number of Partners: 6

Number of Associate Solicitors: 16

Location: London

Expertise: Employment and Partnership Law

Contacts: Gareth Brahams, Claire Dawson, Nick Wilcox, Paula Chan, Clare Brereton, Samantha Prosser.

THE FIRM

BDBF is a leading specialist employment law firm based in the City of London. The firm have fought and won some of the highest value employment disputes of recent years against a range of ‘magic circle’ opponents. Their creative thinking has resulted in ground-breaking litigation outcomes in areas such as whistleblowing and discrimination law.

Recently the firm have acted for Tony Danker, the former boss of the CBI, who settled his legal action for wrongful dismissal with the business group for an undisclosed sum, after he was sacked with immediate effect in 2023 after complaints about his behaviour. They also successfully represented Rob Gagliardi in the first employment anti-suit injunction obtained under the new jurisdictional regime that applies post-Brexit. This injunction halted his former employer, Evolution, from pursuing claims against him in New York, setting a precedent in employment law. The firm represented Sebastian Lapinski in a high-stakes disability discrimination claim against Triton Investment Advisers LLP and Swedish respondents. Overcoming jurisdictional disputes, BDBF secured a Tribunal victory and EAT appeal dismissal, reinforcing employee rights under the Equality Act 2010 and Brussels Regulation. The entire team is reputed for its high quality legal advice.

PRINCIPAL AREAS OF WORK: EMPLOYMENT AND PARTNERSHIP LAW

Senior Employees and Partners

Litigating on behalf of senior employees, board directors and partners in high stakes, complex and high value employment tribunal and high court disputes, including relating to whistleblowing, discrimination, equal pay, contracts, bonuses, stress at work, sexual harassment, misrepresentation, restrictive covenants and team moves.

Advising senior employees, board directors and partners in exit negotiations from employers, partnerships and LLPs and negotiating terms on joining a new firm. Advising on the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SMCR), including regulatory reference advice. Negotiating high value settlements in the context of discrimination, senior executive equal pay and whistleblowing disputes.

Employers

BDBF provides businesses with strategic and practical solutions for employment and partnership issues, including advice on HR matters; redundancy and restructuring, internal grievances, disciplinary and regulatory investigations, TUPE, contracts, and litigation in the Employment Tribunal and High Court including relating to breach of confidential information and restrictive covenant disputes. When defending litigation, the firm is rigorous in support of its clients.

Acting for both sides provides the firm’s lawyers with a unique tactical insight.

CLIENTS

Most of BDBF’s individual clients work at a senior level, often in the regulated sector. They are CEOs and other C-suite executives in technology companies and industry, investment professionals in private equity and venture capital, heads of desks, directors, senior vice presidents, managing directors and above in financial and insurance services, partners or members of LLPs, accountants, senior lawyers, consultant doctors and other professionals working in healthcare, or senior managers and directors.

BDBF does not act for bulge bracket investment banks or the major UK retail banks in order to ensure it remains conflict free and can act against them.

BDBF’s employer clients span a diverse range of sectors, including legal and professional service firms, boutique investment banks, hedge funds, private equity firms, insurance firms, other technology firms, retailers, utility companies, executive search firms, brokers and corporate financiers and charities. The firm also advises LLPs and general partnerships.