Practice Areas
Main areas of practice are employment law (including industrial action, working time, equal pay, trade union rights), public law, human rights. Over 70 reported cases. Many appearances in Supreme Court, House of Lords, Court of Justice of EU, European Court of Human Rights, CA. Recent cases include: : Mercer v Alternative Futures, SC (sanctions on strikers and Article 11 ECHR); Agnew v Chief Constable of NI, SC (wages claims); Harpur Trust v Brazel, SC (working time); Smith v Pimlico, CA (annual leave); British Airways v BALPA, CA (strike injunction); Dudley v Willetts, EAT (holiday pay); Unite v UK, ECtHR (collective bargaining, Article 11); R (UNISON) v Lord Chancellor, SC (successful judicial review of tribunal fees). Formerly on Equality and Human Rights Commission ‘A’ Panel of Counsel; advisor to BEIS Parliamentary Inquiries into workers’ rights and the Taylor Review.
Career
University of Bristol, LLB (Hons) 1st Class; BSC (Hons) 1st class; Law Society Finals, 1st class; MA, 1st class Solicitor, Slaughter and May (1987-89). Called to Bar 1992. Fee-paid Employment Judge 2003. Employment Junior of Year 2012. QC 2013. Employment Silk of Year 2015. Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Bristol. Deputy High Court Judge 2017.
Personal
Serious cyclist (4th in age group Maratona delle Dolomiti 2022; 6th in Fausto Coppi 2024), former member of Great Britain road cycling squad (e.g. 1st Tour of Surrey. 1st Jock Wadley Memorial, 5th Ronde de L’Oise). Fluent French; Spanish.