Ben Cooper KC

Employment and discrimination, industrial relations and professional discipline, in particular equal pay, belief discrimination and other complex or sensitive discrimination claims, employment status, disciplinary and industrial action injunctions, TU rights and recognition, whistleblowing, TUPE. Current and recent cases of note: Brierley & others v Asda Stores Ltd (acting for Respondent in largest ever private sector equal pay litigation, ongoing in ET); Harbron & others v Amazon & others (acting for Claimants, who are Amazon drivers, in ongoing group litigation on employment status, holiday pay NMW – pending appeal by Amazon to EAT against refusal to strike-out on employment status); Stewart v FCDO (acing for Respondent in high profile whistleblowing claim raising issues of Parliamentary Privilege, ET, ongoing); Forstater v CGD Europe & others (acted for successful claimant in EAT (2021) establishing protection for gender critical beliefs, and in ET (2022)); Bailey v (1) Stonewall (2) Garden Court Chambers Ltd & another (acted for claimant, a barrister, in her successful claim against her chambers for discrimination because of her gender critical beliefs, ET 2022; appeal to EAT on meaning & effect of s111 liability, ongoing); NUPFC v CO (employment status of foster carers and TU recognition, CA 2021); UCL v Brown (TU detriment claim concerning use of email facilities for TU purposes and interrelationship of TU rights with data protection; EAT, 2020).

Called to the Bar – November 2000. Silk 2017.

Employment Law Bar Association; Industrial Law Society; Employment Lawyers’ Association.

Born 1977. LLB (University of Birmingham, 1st class).