Ivor Adair

Practice Areas

Ivor is a highly experienced, specialist contentious employment lawyer, acting predominately for senior executives and partners within a wide range of sectors including professional practice, financial services, insurance, sport, education and healthcare. He also acts for employers and firms handling reputationally sensitive matters.

Career

Ivor joined Fox as a partner in 2018, moving from his position as a partner in a top 30 UK law firm. He is a qualified Solicitor-Advocate.

Professional Memberships

Member of the Legislative and Policy Committee of the Employment Lawyers Association, engaging regularly with government on reform. Also a member of the Association of Partnership Practitioners, Professional Negligence Lawyers Association and the Commercial Litigators Forum.

Publications

Ivor has contributed numerous articles and commented in the trade and national and international press including on founder disputes, on bullying and neurodiversity issues. Ivor co-authored a chapter in: “Partner Retirement in Law Firms: Strategies for Partners, Law Firms and Other Professional Services”, contributes to podcasts (including the firm’s own ‘Foxed’ podcast) and has been interviewed on radio and television.

Work Highlights

Employer

- Conducting a major independent investigation for a high-profile institution involving dozens of witnesses and substantial testimony, addressing issues of a very sensitive nature with potential serious consequences for the professionals involved, and preparing a report with extensive findings and recommendations.

- Acting for a London Club in relation to a sensitive matter leading to a claim brought by the executors of the estate of a former senior employee.

- Acting for an employer in relation to tribunal proceedings involving health and safety and whistleblowing claims in the context of covid-19 related concerns.

- Advising an asset management business in the aviation sector in relation to the redundancy of a senior professional.

Partnership

- Acting for a magic circle law firm partner in relation to a complex cross border dispute, involving a possible arbitration relating to personal injury, breach of contract and employment tribunal jurisdiction issues. The matter also involved the navigation of complex regulatory challenges.

- Acting for a partner at an asset management firm with focus on maximising financial compensation and protecting their position on exit.

- Advising a partner at a large accountancy practice in relation to their compulsory retirement.

Senior Executive

- Acting for a number c-suite executives from the same employer in relation to their actual or threatened dismissals or voluntary resignations to protect very valuable incentive arrangements and maximise financial compensation on exit.

- Acting for a senior executive in relation to a substantial bonus dispute against an international bank arising from termination.

- Advising a senior executive options trader in relation to a dispute over their employment status and alleged membership of a partnership with tax and restrictive covenant implications, focussed on negotiating terms and a move to a new employer.

- Advising a c-suite executive in the fintech sector in relation to their employment with focus on negotiating favourable contractual terms.

- Advising a senior female executive in the insurance industry in relation to sex and age discrimination and bullying issues.