Bruce Robin Email & Phone Number

After being called to the Bar in 2005, I cross-qualified as a solicitor in 2013 and moved to my current in-house role in 2019. My professional experience in employment law began while studying on the Bar Vocational Course. I worked part-time at PCaW, the whistleblowing charity and predecessor to Protect, but also volunteered at my local law centre and FRU. After being called to the Bar, I accepted a job with Freshfields, but quickly found myself drawn back to my previous experience.The opportunity to work back at the law centre, as an employee rather than a volunteer, was where I became hooked on employment law. With the support of great colleagues (and various LAG manuals), I began to learn the practical challenges in enforcing rights at work.A move to join Thompsons in Manchester developed my practice to all areas of employment law relevant to trade unions and their members. A move to their Bristol office led me to spend more than a decade working with some of the most brilliant minds in employment law. It was a fascinating experience to learn and master the art of litigation for workers in employment disputes. The focus of my work from that time included: helping to set up and run telephone advice services for trade union representatives in different unions; identifying and running strategic litigation in employment tribunals and appellate courts to improve workers' rights; managing and developing junior colleagues.The work also included a substantial amount of client care with trade unions across the South West, Wales and at their Head Offices. For example, I provided training at external events on current topics (eg with Acas and TUC), as well as training various trade union clients and groups of their representatives.I am now proud to work for UNISON, the public services union, in its prestigious legal services team based at the union's Head Office in London. It felt like a natural evolution to my previous experiences and skills but has been more exciting than I could have imagined.The main focus of my work involves identifying and pursuing strategic litigation that changes or creates employment law. It's the stuff of dreams for anyone who hopes to make a difference for workers and unions. To help keep me grounded and sharp, I also provide advice to our HR team and senior decision makers. Additionally, I have been invited to participate in external working groups with the TUC and ELA responding to developments in the law.For the future, I hope to explore the overlap between employment rights and data rights.

Listed skills include Employment Law, Legal Advice, Union Relations, Litigation, and 11 others.