Russell-Cooke’s employment department undertakes both contentious and non-contentious work, advising businesses of all sizes and types. We understand the importance of getting to know your business and how you like to work and will always tailor our approach according to your needs. 

We think it is good for our employer clients that we often act for employees, rather than only acting for employers. This helps us to know what the other side is thinking when a dispute arises, or when we are assisting with negotiations. Many employment disputes are either resolved amicably or settled at an early stage, but if that is not possible, our experience and commercial awareness will give you the best chance of a positive outcome. 

An occasional chat with a specialist employment lawyer is usually money well spent, as employment law is an area where prevention is definitely better (and less expensive) than cure. We are happy to discuss issues with new clients free of charge over the phone initially, to assess whether they might benefit from further advice or representation.  Thereafter, we can be available at short notice whenever you need quick advice.

If you need assistance in any of the following areas, or with any other employment query, please do not hesitate to contact us:

• Dealing with under-performing employees and avoiding unfair dismissal
• Preparing compromise agreements and negotiating terms
• Redundancy and issues arising from transfers of undertakings
• All forms of discrimination, including age, sex, race, and disability discrimination
• Contractual disputes
• High Court litigation, including in relation to shares and restrictive covenants
• Wages disputes
• Whistle-blowing disputes
• Protection from Harassment Act claims in an employment context

Drafting of Contracts, Policies and Procedures
It is very important for employers to have up to date employment documentation, which takes into account recent developments in employment law.  If you would like your contracts, policies or procedures checked and brought up to date, we will usually be able to agree a fixed fee for this type of work. 

For further information please contact Fudia Smartt on 020 8394 6525 or by e-mail: fudia.smartt@russell-cooke.co.uk

Insurance against employment claims
Our new insurance product, Employment Risk Solutions (ERS) allows employers to insure against the legal costs they might be forced to incur and any compensation they might have to pay in the event of an Employment Tribunal claim.  For a fixed annual fee, the calculation of which depends on turnover, number of staff and claims history, our employer clients will also have their employment contracts, policies and procedures reviewed, to ensure that they comply with current legislation. They will also be entitled to advice and support from our employment specialists in dealing with workplace issues and disputes as they arise throughout the year.  

For further information, please contact Alex Bearman on 020 8394 6524 or by e-mail: alex.bearman@russell-cooke.co.uk

To view our ERS Information Sheet, please click here.

Discrimination outside of the work context
We also act in matters involving discrimination by trade organisations, public authorities, service providers, etc. whether in the courts or in the Employment Tribunal.

For further information, please contact Anthony Sakrouge on 020 8394 6504 or by e-mail: anthony.sakrouge@russell-cooke.co.uk

The Employment Team regularly holds seminars in Russell-Cooke's Putney and Central London offices.

The next seminar that the Russell-Cooke Employment Team will be holding is listed below:

Event: RIDING THE STORM: A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO LEGAL ISSUES IN THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

4th December 2008 - For Professional Advisors - 2 Putney Hill, London SW15 6AB (6pm - 7.30pm)
13th January 2009 - For Business Owners & Managers - 8 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4BX (6pm - 7.30pm)

Businesses in the UK are facing the most challenging trading conditions for more than a generation. A depressed property market, the dramatic reduction in availability of credit, and instability in the financial services sector have led to fears that the UK is about to enter a severe recession. Such difficult economic conditions bring with them new risksand challenges and make it more important than ever for businesses and their professional advisers to be familiar with the legal framework within which businesses operate.
Members of the Business & Regulation Group at Russell-Cooke will discuss:

• Directors’ Duties under the Companies Act 2006
• Transactional risk and personal liability under the Insolvency Act 1986
• Managing redundancy
• Overview of Insolvency Procedures

  janev.djemil@russell-cooke.co.uk

Signup for Seminars
If you would like to sign up to receive regular seminar invitations please send an email to:
  helpdesk@russell-cooke.co.uk

Please state in your email that you would like to register for employment seminars and include your name, company, and address details.


French Desk
Russell-Cooke offers a dedicated service for French Businesses who are looking to expand their business interests into the UK. Click for more details in French or English.