Peter J Frost

Practice Areas

Peter is a Consultant in the Herbert Smith Freehills London Employment team specialising in managing high profile, complex disputes. With some 40 years’ experience Peter is one of the most experienced employment lawyers in the UK whose views have been sought both by clients and by the UK Government on key issues, and to whom employers turn when they need to achieve the best outcome in a bet the company dispute. He helps clients in a range of sectors deal with test cases affecting many employees, group litigation commenced by large groups of employees, complex and high profile disputes, the recruitment and retention of key executives and teams, and disputes with trade unions involving bargaining rights or industrial action. He is also one of the leading practitioners in the topical area of freedom of belief.

Peter routinely deploys novel, multidisciplinary strategic analysis to achieve the client’s objectives and frequently collaborates with other practice groups and offices in the firm including its competition , private international law and public law practices. He increasingly helps clients solve disputes with an international dimension. Peter has recently spearheaded an international initiative to promote the resolution of employment disputes via alternative forms to the traditional High Court and Employment Tribunal. These include domestic and international arbitration, mediation, early neutral evaluation and expert determination. He has also worked with clients to develop internal ADR schemes including workplace mediation schemes and collaborated with TCM, one of the leading workplace mediation providers.

Career

Peter studied Law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and has been with Herbert Smith Freehills since the start of his career in 1985.

Professional Memberships

Peter is an active member of the Employment Lawyers Association and has been a member of various working parties consulted by the UK Government regarding potential employment law reforms.

Publications

Peter co-authored with Paul Goulding KC a detailed report on behalf of the Employment Lawyers Association on the ways in which arbitration and ADR could be used more widely as a means of resolving employment disputes. He has contributed a review to David Liddle's influential publication, Managing Conflict: a practical guide to resolution in the workplace. Peter praises Liddle's approach to conflict in the workplace and says the book is a 'radical resource' on conflict management. In particular, Peter highlights the importance of Liddle's focus on mediation replacing the traditional adversarial position.

He recently gave a highly acclaimed presentation with Sarah Fraser-Butlin KC on the law and practice relating to conflicts of belief at the workplace.

Peter has contributed a range of articles for The Financial Times, ELA Briefing and the Employment Law Journal, and he was recently appointed to the Editorial Board of Law & Justice.