Employment | UK Bar

11KBW is a pre-eminent employment set boasting considerable depth at the silk and junior levels. The barristers earn widespread praise from instructing solicitors with one highlighting their "highly capable barristers in technical fields." The set remains a popular choice for high-profile individuals and organisations in numerous sectors, from financial services to the gig economy. Members' expertise covers the full spectrum of employment law issues; they are leaders in the fields of equal pay, worker status and team moves. The barristers can boast involvement in noteworthy recent cases in the highest courts such as Guy Carpenter & Co Ltd and ors v Howden Group Holdings Ltd and ors, a major team move matter with multiple jurisdictions involved, equal pay litigation at Sainsbury's and USDAW v Tesco, a Supreme Court matter concerned with firing and rehiring. With its broad range of experience, 11KBW is praised for its "exceptional depth and breadth of talent."

Blackstone Chambers is an "extremely sophisticated set with the expertise to handle the most complex matters." Home to a number of leading lights in the employment law field, members' expertise covers a full spread of developing issues including restrictive covenants, employment status, equal pay and protected disclosure. The "extremely high calibre" barristers act for well-known corporates and financial services firms, and are skilled in advocacy before the tribunals, the senior courts and the Supreme Court. Recent cases include a mass equal pay claim against the Co-op and a key protected beliefs claim in the form of Professor Jo Phoenix v The Open University.

Gary Oliver is the senior clerk.

Cloisters Chambers is a premium employment set which is home to barristers acting in a wide range of complex cases including whistle-blowing, worker status and equal pay claims. Interviewees agree that the chambers offers an "excellent range of barristers at all levels" who provide "expertise across the board." Members frequently represent individuals and companies, as well as trade unions and public bodies, in the employment tribunals and up to the Supreme Court. They are also approached by government departments, charities and the EHRC to carry out investigations or reviews. In recent months, barristers have represented the group appellants in Dodd v. Ministry of Judges, a key matter on proportional remuneration and appeared in the counsel team in respect of multiple claims against Tesco, Asda, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s for equal pay.

Littleton Chambers offers superb capability covering high-end commercial employment work, in addition to knotty worker status, discrimination and harassment claims. Members routinely act on behalf of multinational companies and financial services clients, but also undertake pro bono work for claimants. In recent months, members represented Morrisons in connection with allegations of pay discrimination, and in the high-profile Guy Carpenter team move case. Feedback on the barristers at Littleton is consistently strong, with one interviewee reporting that: "they have all bases covered on the full spectrum of employment work."

Old Square Chambers is an impressive set with wide-ranging strength in employment matters, including worker status, equal pay, discrimination and whistle-blowing cases. Its barristers represent trade unions in relation to strike injunctions. The chambers also attracts and retains clients in the education and healthcare sectors at an impressive rate. One client reports that they: "help us do ground breaking legal work," while another feels that "their depth and breadth in employment law is second to none." The strength of the barristers is particularly evident in their involvement in high-profile cases such as R (Independent Workers of Great Britain Union) v Central Arbitration Committee and Roofoods.

Devereux is a chambers which is widely praised for being "practical, commercial and straight-talking" and one where "there is no question as to the technical ability and commercial focus of all of the barristers." The set can boast deep experience among its ranks covering high-profile employment disputes, including matters with crossover tax implications. Members exhibit considerable expertise in cases involving restrictive covenants, industrial relations, TUPE, the National Minimum Wage, discrimination and whistle-blowing. Tenants are regularly called upon to represent claimants and respondents, with recent highlights including Various Claimants v McDonalds Restaurants, a group litigation concerned with workplace discrimination.

Glenn Billenness is the director of clerking.

Essex Court Chambers is a formidable commercial set with substantial experience of employment litigation in the High Court and above, including on behalf of financial services clients. One notable highlight saw members represent the claimant in the court of appeal in Benyatov v Credit Suisse, a matter concerned with "failure to protect from conviction." Interviewees report that the set has "extremely good employment expertise at silk and junior level" delivered by "barristers who are at the top of their game." The barristers' strengths extend to whistle-blowing and discrimination claims.

The senior clerk is Joe Ferrigno.

Matrix Chambers' employment law practice is considered an excellent choice for everything from tribunal cases to Supreme Court appeals, covering high-profile equal pay, discrimination and whistle-blowing claims. A number of barristers at the set also have experience in restrictive covenant cases. Members are regularly instructed by individuals and employers across a range of sectors, including the public sector and financial services.

Recent highlights have seen the barristers act in notable employment cases such as The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia (Cultural Bureau) v Ms A Alhayali. An instructing solicitor states that Matrix: "impressed with the depth and breadth of experience offered."

Alison Scanes is the Senior Practice Manager.

Outer Temple Chambers continues to impress with its involvement at the epicentre of ground-breaking mass equal pay litigation. The go-to barristers are highly experienced in all manner of discrimination claims and whistle-blowing matters, as well as employment cases with crossover pensions elements. One source praises "the breadth in the team that enables them to pick up all types of work." The chambers regularly represents significant clients in the public and private sectors, including in retail. Among recent highlights, members represented various claimants in Element & ors v Tesco, a key matter concerned with equal pay in the workplace.

The barristers at 42 Bedford Row display "excellent strength and depth" according to interviewees. They act for private companies, public sector employers and employees in reputationally sensitive and challenging cases. Members are well versed in discrimination, unfair dismissal, TUPE and whistle-blowing claims. In a recent highlight, members acted in Borg-Neal v Lloyds Bank plc, a race discrimination claim.

Steve Sheridan is the director of clerking.

Doughty Street Chambers draws on strong employment law knowledge as well as complementary areas of practice, when acting for employees and employers in high-profile cases. Clients regard the chambers highly for their "stellar range of barristers" who have the ability to "handle complex and sophisticated matters." Members are adept at handling cutting-edge worker status and union recognition cases, in addition to discrimination and unfair dismissal claims. A key recent case saw members represent the claimant in Badu v The Premier League.

12 King's Bench Walk stands out for its impressive claimant-side employment practice, which sees the barristers handle a range of claims on behalf of individuals in professional and financial services as well as the public sector. The "fantastic" barristers also have experience representing respondents. Members, one source notes, "are very pragmatic" and demonstrate particular capabilities in harassment, whistle-blowing and unfair dismissal claims. They are well-versed in cases requiring combined knowledge of personal injury and employment law, making the chambers a popular choice for disability discrimination. The set is regularly involved in complex employment cases including Kavanagh v Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, a matter concerned with various forms of disability discrimination.

Oliver Parkhouse is the director of clerking.

Solicitors regularly seek out 7BR's highly knowledgeable employment barristers for representation in a variety of employment law matters. The chambers can claim experts with knowledge across the employment field, including all aspects of discrimination law as well as commercial employment cases. The barristers act for both claimants and respondents, with a recent highlight being Elaine Banton's representation of the claimant in Rajput v Commerzbank AG, a matter including issues of sex/maternity discrimination and harassment. One client distills their offering as follows: "They are experts in all types of discrimination work."

The senior clerks are Paul Eeles and Steven Wright.