JUNIOR PROFILE

Melanie Tether

UK Bar 2026

Old Square Chambers

Ranked in 2 practice areas

Employment

London (Bar)

29 years ranked

Industrial Relations

All Circuits

1 year ranked

About

Provided by Old Square Chambers

Practice Areas

All aspects of employment law, both individual and collective. Melanie is a tenacious advocate and is known for her ability to master challenging briefs.

She is regularly instructed in heavyweight discrimination and whistleblowing claims and has appeared in a number of landmark cases, including several references to the Court of Justice of the European Union. She is a leading expert on the Transfer of Undertaking Regulations and on collective redundancies.

Melanie has appeared in many reported cases. Recent examples include: R (on the application of ASLEF and others) v Secretary of State for Trade and Business [2023] IRLR 823; Uber BV and others v Aslam and others [2021] ICR 657; Nicholls v London Borough of Croydon [2019] ICR 542; Griffiths v. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2017] ICR 160; Cavanagh v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions [2016] ICR 826; Arch Initiatives v Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust [2016] ICR 607; and Mustafa v Trek Highways Services Ltd [2016] 2 CMLR 45.

Career

Called to the Bar 1995. Previously a partner in Norton Rose.

Professional Memberships

ELA, ELBA, former Chair and current Vice President of ILS.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

UK Bar

Employment - London (Bar)

Band 1

Individual Editorial

Melanie Tether regularly assists clients with complex disability discrimination cases and equal pay disputes. She also has considerable experience in TUPE matters and has tackled a number of leading cases in the field.

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Industrial Relations - All Circuits

Band 2

Individual Editorial

Melanie Tether is a capable senior junior who regularly acts for unions in complex industrial relations matters, some of which are of notably high profile. Tether is adept at advising on issues relating to discrimination, holiday pay claims and equal pay claims, among others.

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Strengths

Provided by Chambers

Melanie Tether's written advice is phenomenal. She is also amazing at finding creative solutions.
EmploymentUK Bar
Melanie Tether is brilliant and incredibly thorough and knowledgeable.
EmploymentUK Bar
Melanie Tether is really tough, but really pragmatic and fair. She is really able to see some quite tricky and difficult subtle legal issues and get on top of them.
EmploymentUK Bar
Melanie Tether is always super-friendly and nice. She knows the weak points.
Industrial RelationsUK Bar
Melanie provides excellent service, clear advice and is practical and easy to work with.
Industrial RelationsUK Bar
Melanie is incredibly experienced.
Industrial RelationsUK Bar