I am the owner/manager of my own specialist employment law practice. The business, which was established in 2002, has a corporate client base providing advice on both contentious and non-contentious matters, mainly to HR professionals and business owners.

Working in the group legal function of Cable &Wireless I carried out the duties expected of an in-house employment lawyer (as I had done at Mercury, see below). However, I was also involved in mergers and acquisitions at a time when the group was expanding rapidly by this route. This involved working closely with the Business Development team and with in-house and external M&A lawyers.

As part of the employment relations team at Mercury Communications I supported the operational side of the HR function in dealing with the most contentious issues arising. I was responsible for managing the litigation process when cases progressed to tribunal and for negotiating settlements in order to forestall litigation. Other responsibilities included designing and drafting employment documentation for what was, at the time, a substantial employer and establishing formal channels of… Show more As part of the employment relations team at Mercury Communications I supported the operational side of the HR function in dealing with the most contentious issues arising. I was responsible for managing the litigation process when cases progressed to tribunal and for negotiating settlements in order to forestall litigation. Other responsibilities included designing and drafting employment documentation for what was, at the time, a substantial employer and establishing formal channels of employee consultation so as to comply with legal requirements. Show less

My role at the IoD was to work on the formulation of employment policy, including developing ideas for policy positions, commenting on government proposals and representing the institute on consultative bodies, at conferences and in the media.