Employment: Employer | UK

The firm is a leading name in the employment space and enjoys an enviable reputation for the service it provides to major players in the financial services and media sectors. The team remains at the forefront of hot-button issues including data protection, privacy and whistle-blowing. It continues to be called upon by its high-profile employer client base to advise on business-critical issues, including a wealth of work relating to the enforcement of restrictive covenants following executive departures as well as workplace investigations. The firm is well placed to advise on cross-border employment matters, and also advises large multinational employers on general multi-jurisdictional compliance issues.

Baker McKenzie has a highly experienced employment team that covers the whole spectrum of employment law, with expertise in restrictive covenants, discrimination and transactional matters. It stands out for its expertise in industrial relations and European Works Councils. The firm frequently represents global employers, with regular work for those in the retail and financial services sectors. It is also widely recognised for its ability to handle complex international employment issues including multi-jurisdictional restructuring processes. Baker McKenzie is increasingly well known for expertise in equal pay matters, as well as its handling of sensitive investigations.

Herbert Smith Freehills' employment team is widely recognised for the strength of its employment litigation work and offers a wealth of experience in handling all manner of complex employment tribunal and High Court matters. The firm also works with employers on board-level disputes and investigations. It regularly advises large employers from the retail sector and financial services.

Lewis Silkin is recognised for its work for both employers and senior executives in the financial services, retail, advertising, technology and professional services sectors. The firm houses a deep bench of experienced practitioners who routinely act for clients on discrimination and restrictive covenant matters. The firm's recent work has included advising 'gig economy' employers on matters relating to worker status. It also offers a robust practice advising on the employment aspects of large corporate transactions, including those involving TUPE transfers or substantial international elements. Lewis Silkin also boasts specialist expertise in High Court litigation and sensitive investigations.

Mishcon de Reya is a highly skilled team acting for both employers and senior executives across all aspects of employment law. The firm provides employers with day-to-day support as well as advice on complex litigation. It is particularly recognised for its work on senior exits. The department is also regularly chosen to advise other law firms on internal employment issues. For the firm, other notable areas of work include equal pay and status for 'gig economy' workers. The team advises an impressive roster of clients from a diverse set of industries, including financial services, retail and media.

Simmons & Simmons has a leading employment law practice that advises employers across a wide range of issues, with strengths in complex litigation and transactional support. The firm also assists clients with the full spectrum of advisory matters, including investigations and sensitive disciplinary mandates. It provides a deep bench of skilled lawyers who are highly experienced in acting for high-profile clients from the financial services sector, especially investment banks, hedge funds and asset managers. The firm also advises TMT and public sector clients, as well as other law firms.

Clifford Chance houses a strong employment practice that is well known for advising high-profile corporate clients and financial institutions. It is adept at handling complex employment issues arising from large-scale transactions, employment litigation and investigations. The firm also provides advice on issues such as dismissals, whistle-blowing and senior exits. The firm's capabilities extend to matters with cross-border elements.

Clyde & Co is well known for helping insurance clients and financial services institutions with a full range of employment law issues, including regularly advising on team moves. It is able to leverage its international footprint to advise on multi-jurisdictional work. The firm demonstrates notable experience in handling contentious matters. It also has the capability to provide advice on large-scale corporate transactions.

DAC Beachcroft has a sizeable employment team that works with clients on contentious and non-contentious matters, including both strategic and business-as-usual advice for large financial institutions and clients in the insurance industry. The firm is regularly instructed on complex employment work relating to industrial relations and internal investigations. It is also recognised for its continued expertise in relation to healthcare and the public sector. The firm offers additional expertise in regulatory employment matters, including the SMCR.

Fox Williams advises both City employers and senior executives across all manner of employment law with a notable reputation for its work on severance negotiations and employment disputes. It has a strong history of representing individuals in cases of discrimination and whistle-blowing. The firm draws its clients from a range of sectors including financial services and insurance, where it demonstrates expertise in regulatory matters. It also advises public sector clients on TUPE matters. In addition, the team is also trusted by employers to carry out sensitive internal investigations.

Freshfields is noted for its work with large employers in complex employment matters such as remuneration disputes and whistle-blowing allegations. It has strong expertise in advising clients from the financial services sector. The firm provides additional expertise in transactional employment issues arising from corporate deals, including industrial relations resulting from M&A activity. Other areas of work include investigations and boardroom disputes. It has demonstrable expertise in cases involving cross-border and multi-jurisdictional issues.

GQ|Littler is a highly experienced boutique employment law firm offering expert advice to large financial services clients and other high-profile organisations. The firm has a deep bench of practitioners and handles both contentious and non-contentious matters. The team has marked success in complex litigation and is also adept at handling bonus disputes and team moves. The firm is able to assist clients with a range of cross-border and international matters, drawing upon the global expertise of the Littler network.

Linklaters handles high-quality advisory work for an international client base, combined with renowned strength in employment litigation. The firm advises clients on remuneration regulations and senior executive exits, with experience acting on high-value employment tribunal and High Court cases. The department acts for an enviable roster of clients from the financial services sector. It is well suited to advise on cross-border matters. In addition, the team frequently handles sensitive investigations on behalf of employers.

Travers Smith has an established employment team that assists clients with both contentious and non-contentious employment issues. The firm advises large multinational employers as well as smaller private and public companies. It has demonstrable experience acting for mid-market financial services clients. The firm also provides transactional employment support to the firm's corporate clients. In addition, the department displays further strength advising employers on senior dismissals.

Addleshaw Goddard has an established employment law practice with significant expertise in assisting financial services and retail clients, among others. The firm is experienced in handling challenging litigations and assists clients with defending whistleblowing claims and with conducting workplace investigations. It is also well equipped to advise on day-to-day and general HR matters, as well as the employment aspects of transactions, including those with multi-jurisdictional elements.

Bird & Bird houses an established practice offering high-quality employment advice to both employers and senior employees. The firm is widely recognised for its expertise in the technology sector, as well as for its work for retail and life sciences clients. It advises on both employment disputes and non-contentious matters. The team is able to draw upon the firm's global network of offices to advise on cross-border work.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner has a respected employment practice that is home to a series of talented practitioners. The firm's strong litigation work is coupled with day-to-day employment advice. It provides a wealth of experience acting for large multinational banking clients, law firms and retail sector clients. Its global footprint lends itself to deft handling of multi-jurisdictional matters.

CMS has a highly experienced team offering advice across all aspects of employment law. The firm has notable disputes expertise, particularly in relation to restrictive covenants and employment tribunal representation. It also advises on the employment aspects of corporate transactions, with the ability to assist large international corporations on issues across multiple jurisdictions. The firm works for a broad client base that includes groups in the media, technology and financial services sectors.

Dechert has a broad employment practice that is known for its expert knowledge of issues affecting employers in the financial services sector. The firm is adept at handling multi-jurisdictional matters and noted for its expertise in both contentious and non-contentious employment law issues. It is also capable of advising companies on contract negotiations with employees as well as assisting them with senior exits.

Farrer & Co provides expert advice to employers from the financial, education and sports sectors. The firm is also renowned for its work for senior executives, notably advising on severance negotiations and restrictive covenant-related matters. It regularly advises both sets of clients on discrimination, whistle-blowing and dismissal-related claims. The team has a particularly strong practice for assisting organisations with the implementation of appropriate safeguarding policies. The firm's expertise extends to the employment implications of sensitive employment disputes and shareholder activism.

Hogan Lovells has a strong employment practice that advises on all manner of sensitive employment law issues. It is noted for its advice on employment matters relating to corporate transactions, as well as for its work on investigations. The firm's international scope means the team is skilled at handling cross-border employment disputes. The team advises a range of clients, including large public companies and banks.

Macfarlanes acts for employers across the whole spectrum of employment law with specific strength in litigation and regulatory matters for financial services clients. The firm's knowledge of partnership law strengthens the practice as the team can advise on issues where employment and partnership law intersect. It offers additional expertise in the employment aspects of corporate transactions, as well as in relation to regulatory compliance and internal investigations.

Mayer Brown has deep knowledge and experience in assisting high-profile companies with complex contentious and non-contentious employment issues. The firm has demonstrable expertise in handling whistleblowing, discrimination and unfair dismissal claims. It is able to handle cross-jurisdictional employment issues for its international clientele. The firm regularly advises clients in the consumer goods, insurance and banking sectors.

Reed Smith has sector specialisms in media and financial services, advising on everything from Equality Act compliance to outsourcing and restrictive covenants. The firm is able to handle multi-jurisdictional projects including large-scale workforce restructuring and corporate transactions. It also demonstrates experience handling both employment tribunal and High Court disputes with expertise including discrimination and unfair dismissal claims.

Squire Patton Boggs is adept at handling global workforce transformation projects and large cross-border employment disputes. The firm also advises on complex litigation matters including discrimination claims and restrictive covenant disputes, as well as internal investigations. Its clients hail from a range of industries including retail, distribution and healthcare. The firm has notable expertise in the increasingly prominent field of equal pay disputes.

Stephenson Harwood acts for employers on all types of employment law matters. The firm has extensive litigation experience, as well as knowledge of non-contentious issues, especially TUPE matters. It also has notable expertise in employment law issues arising in the rail industry. The firm is capable of handling cross-border matters for clients from a range of other sectors, including retail and hospitality.

Charles Russell Speechlys provides expert employment advice to corporate groups and has particular experience handling severance negotiations, complicated exits and the employment aspects of large corporate transactions. The firm serves a broad range of clients including notable work for retail and sports organisations. It also has experience working with employers and senior individuals from the financial services sector.

Deloitte Legal has a highly skilled team that focuses on advising technology companies on their employment needs. It handles a range of matters including restrictive covenant enforcement, outsourcings and team moves. It has further expertise in relation to employment litigation, with regular work defending employers against equal pay claims, as well as discrimination and unfair dismissal claims.

DLA Piper has a strong employment practice with an international focus, offering advice to global companies. The firm advises across the whole gamut of employment law with recognisable strengths in multi-jurisdictional projects, including large restructurings. The firm's other areas of strength include advising on regulatory compliance, senior departures and worker status litigation. Its clients hail from a number of sectors including technology, financial services and transport.

Doyle Clayton is a specialist firm acting for employers and senior executives on a full range of issues relating to the workplace. The team is adept at advising senior employees on complex litigation, including cases relating to restrictive covenants and injunctions. Its senior employee clientele includes legal professionals and C-suite executives. The firm's employer client base includes organisations operating in the insurance, retail and charities sectors, and it advises these groups on everything from employment litigation and internal investigations to business restructures and TUPE.

Well-known companies seek advice from Morgan Lewis on the full spectrum of employment mandates spanning from non-contentious advisory work through to employment litigation. The firm is also called upon to act as independent investigators on highly sensitive matters. It has a broad range of sector capabilities which includes particular knowledge of the life sciences market.

Osborne Clarke houses an experienced team that works with clients in the technology, media and financial sectors. The firm advises clients on issues involving reputational risk including complex discrimination and whistle-blowing cases. It also advises on complicated TUPE transfer and employment issues relating to corporate acquisitions. The department is able to leverage the firm's international presence to handle cross-border matters.

Pinsent Masons handles a wide range of employment matters on behalf of its clients. The firm is particularly active in representing employers from the healthcare and financial service sectors. It is frequently sought out for its expert handling of employment tribunal claims arising from allegations of discrimination, unfair dismissal and whistle-blowing detriment. The firm also offers strong capabilities in advising employers whose former employees have committed confidentiality breaches and misused confidential information.

Taylor Wessing advises large employers from the technology, financial services and life sciences sectors. The firm is adept at handling highly complex litigations in the Employment Tribunal. It also regularly advises clients on the employment aspects of corporate transactions. The team is adept at frequently handling matters involving multiple jurisdictions.

Ashurst is a strong choice for domestic and international transactional support matters. The firm has particular expertise in the financial services sector. It is also called upon to handle grievances, misconduct and other employee-related matters.

Dentons has an established practice that acts for financial institutions and multinational corporations on all employment-related matters. The firm has demonstrable expertise in large cross-jurisdictional projects, complex TUPE matters and employment issues arising from corporate transactions. It benefits from an impressive network of international offices.

Howard Kennedy has a dedicated team that is regularly called upon by clients across sectors such as retail, transport and leisure. The team is adept at handling contentious claims at tribunal ranging from discrimination and whistle-blowing claims to internal misconduct and grievance matters. It is well-equipped to advise on and conduct sensitive investigations.

Kingsley Napley advises both employers and employees on a wide range of employment work. The firm is adept at handling contentious issues for senior executives, with the team regularly advising on litigation in the High Court and Employment Tribunal. It is also notable for its disputes work for employers, as well as for its work on internal investigations. The firm is regularly sought out by financial institutions and clients from the professional services. It has notable experience working on cross-border matters. The department draws upon the wider expertise of the firm to advise on sensitive matters of fraud in the workplace.

KPMG houses a strong employment law offering that focuses on representing public companies and other large employers in business-critical employment matters. The team advises clients on issues such as workforce pay and compliance, changes to the workforce including restructurings and redundancies, and corporate support matters. It has a client base drawn from a range of sectors such as retail, financial services and consumer goods. In addition, the department benefits from being able to support its clients with bespoke technological products.

Employers rely on McDermott Will & Emery for business-critical HR advice, such as handling redundancies and senior exits, as well as advising on TUPE transfers. The firm's market capabilities also include advising on commercial employment matters, as well as discrimination, harassment and whistle-blowing claims. The team maintains strong client relationships with global clients through its impressive international network.

Norton Rose Fulbright regularly advises large corporates from the technology, transport and energy sectors on a wide range of employment issues. The firm has significant experience handling contentious matters and has notable experience working on whistle-blowing and discrimination claims. Recent work the firm has handled included advising on large-scale redundancies and issues relating to outsourcing.

Slaughter and May has a well respected practice that is known for its advice to major corporates on the employment aspects of complex transactions. The firm frequently assists clients on significant TUPE matters. It also regularly works with financial services clients on internal investigations.

Winckworth Sherwood is a well-regarded employment team that represents both senior executives and employers. The firm is respected for its work on a range of employment law matters, including whistle-blowing, discrimination, equal pay and dismissals. When advising senior employees, the team focuses its advice on clients from the professional and financial services sectors. It demonstrates experience acting in the Employment Tribunal and High Court.

Withers is renowned for its employment advice to senior professionals, including those working in media, technology and financial services. The team advises these clients on contract negotiations at the beginning of their employment, right through to exit negotiations. The lawyers at Withers are also highly capable when it comes to disputes resulting from breakdowns of those employment relationships. The team also works with employer clients, focusing on representing mid-sized financial services groups and high-end brands. It also has notable expertise in advising on regulatory employment matters.