About me
I’m Principal Legal Officer (Employment) at the Free Representation Unit.
I spend most of my time supervising volunteers in Employment Tribunals, as well as doing my own cases. Every year we do about seven hundred cases for people who can’t afford lawyers.
As well as Working Theory, I write at ETClaims.co.uk, which supports Employment Tribunal Claims: Tactics and Precedents, the book I co-author with Naomi Cunningham.
I’m a member of the Tribunal Procedure Committee; Treasurer of the Discrimination Law Association; on the Industrial Law Society Executive; on the Editorial Board of Adviser and a reviewer for the Bar Pro Bono Unit. I sit on the Employment Tribunal National User Group and the Employment Appeal Tribunal User Group.
All views are my own.
Publications
- Employment Tribunal Claims: Tactics and Precedents, with Naomi Cunningham (Legal Action Group) 2nd ed 2007, 3rd ed 2009, 4th ed 2013
Notable Cases: Court of Appeal
- Kemeh v Ministry of Defence, [2014] EqLR 259 — Agency and liability for discrimination. Instructed Daphne Romney QC & Schona Jolly.
- Hounga v Allen, 2012 — Illegality & Discrimination claims / statutory grievances. Led by David Reade QC.
- Miles v Gilbank [2006] ICR 1297 — Aiding discrimination.
- Marks and Spencer v Williams-Ryan [2005] ICR 1293 – Reasonable practicability & time-limits. Led by Timothy Pitt-Payne.
- Hawkins v Darken (t/a Sawbridgeworth Motorcyles), 2004 – Definition of ‘employee’ under DDA. Led by Naomi Cunningham.
- G4S v Alphonso, 2014 – Employment status and zero hour contracts.
- Ministry of Defence v Kemeh, [2013] EqLR 605 – Agency and liability for discrimination.
- Heafield v Times Newspaper Ltd, [2013] EqLR 345 – Religious harassment.
- Quashie v Methodist Homes, [2012] ICR 1330 – Tribunal procedure / written submissions.
- Oudahar v Esporta Group Ltd, [2011] IRLR 730 – Health and safety dismissals.
- Allen v Hounga [2011] EqLR 569 – Illegality / statutory grievances.
- SoS for Justice v Mansfield, 2010 – Delay and unfair dismissal.
- Wood v Mitchell, 2010 – Post-dismissal illness and compensation.
- Brodie v Ward, 2007 – Without prejudice rule.
- Bowen v Millbank, 2007 – Statutory dismissal procedure.
- Business Machines v Plummer, 2006 – Statutory grievance procedure.
- Corus Hotels Plc v Williams, 2006 – Burden of proof.
- Miles v Gilbank [2006] ICR 12
- Ollennu v Wiafe, 2005 – Procedure for amending parties.
- Marks & Spencer v Williams-Ryan, 2004
- Hawkins v. Darken (t/a Sawbridgeworth Motorcycles), 2004
- CAF 2868 2006, 2011, War pensions procedure.