Hugh James

Employment and Pensions 

A highly specialised lawyer, Louise is a Partner and Head of Employment and HR services. Her expertise includes corporate support work, TUPE, pensions and employee benefits advice. She regularly advises private, public and third sector clients regarding large scale TUPE transfers of staff including drafting indemnities and warranties, advising on potential employment and pension liabilities, information and consultation obligations, and providing best value guidance.

Louise has experience working with clients in the media industry such as advising the TUPE transfer of the Songs of Praise contract from the BBC to Avanti Media. She also advises on changing terms and conditions, restructures/redundancies, complex and drawn out grievances and senior management disciplinary/exit strategies.

Louise leads on all employment work with the social housing sector, regularly advising on employment issues around the Social Housing Pension Scheme SHPS, exit strategies and remuneration of board members. This has included advising a large housing association in relation to a dispute with an employee involving a multi-party grievance together with disciplinary proceedings and a live discrimination claim. The case was further complicated by the employee going on long term sick leave.

Louise has also acted for a large housing association in defending a multi-part tribunal claim arising from changes to terms and conditions of staff. One constructive dismissal claim was successfully defended and the remaining claimants subsequently withdrew their claim. She also has extensive advocacy experience which includes successfully defending two long running whistleblowing, unfair dismissal and employment status tribunal claims on behalf of Chepstow Plant International Limited.

Louise has drafted policies and procedures on behalf of public sector bodies and advised the Royal College of Nursing on a wide range of issues. She has also advised large educational institutions and charitable organisations. Louise also defended a high profile race discrimination claim which was appealed to the EAT where the claim against our client was withdrawn.

Louise provides support to our commercial and corporate departments when advising on procurements, outsourcing, commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions. This includes drafting due diligence reports, indemnities and warranties as well as directors’ service agreements. Louise also has advised large private sector organisations on site closures and large-scale redundancies.

Louise leads the firm’s non-contentious pension’s works on behalf of private and public sector clients including Monmouthshire County Council, Business Wales and Tenneco Automatic UK. As well as providing pensions support to corporate matters handled by the firm, Louise also handles discrete pension mandates on issues such as changing benefits termination of accrual and auto enrolment.

Louise has also acted as an Investigating Officer in relation to a complex and highly sensitive matter involving 4 grievances. Louise also acts as legal adviser to Social Care Wales providing advice in relation to Fitness to Practise hearings.

Louise conducts in-house seminars and presentations to clients, participates in media discussion and regularly contributes to employment law articles and bulletins. Louise regularly speaks at CHC, CIPD, ACAS and ICAEW events.