Leigh Day

Employment

Emma has over 18 years’ experience advising and representing clients on the full spectrum of employment law issues for senior employees. She became a partner at Leigh Day in 2015 and is ranked in Band 2 in Chambers 2021 where she is described as “very technically knowledgeable, strategic, detailed and always a pleasure to work with." She was described in Chambers 2019 as  having “an extensive profile of complex employment cases, particularly regarding discrimination” and as being “extremely astute, on the ball and well respected in the area.” The Legal 500 has described Emma as “unbelievably knowledgeable” and “an absolutely fantastic discrimination lawyer”.  Specialisations include discrimination and equal pay. 

She adopts a pragmatic, client-focused approach and always strives to achieve the best outcome according to her clients’ goals, at the least cost (financial and emotional). She heads a strong team of experienced senior lawyers serving a broad spectrum of individual clients in a wide variety of often complex employment matters and sectors including financial, education, emergency services, health, leisure, pharmaceuticals and catering. Her team has a long track record of achieving successful outcomes for their clients including high-value settlements and positive tribunal decisions.

Emma’s own current focus current is on group equal pay litigation as she leads a multiple claim against Morrisons supermarket assisted by a team of solicitors and paralegals. She is also invited to speak on equal pay among other topics, most recently by the ILS for whom she gave a talk titled Equal Pay - The Legal and Practical Challenges alongside Jane Fielding of Gowling WLG.

Emma set up and chairs Leigh Day’s Disability & Allies Committee, which runs a network for staff with disabilities and health conditions and their allies. Earlier this year she chaired the Committee’s launch event Disability and Invisibility through the Prism of Coronavirus with a panel of distinguished speakers from the worlds of politics, academia and disability rights activism.

In January 2021 Emma took on the role of joint head of the department with fellow partner Nigel Mackay.

Trained Russell Jones & Walker, qualified 2002, partner 2015. Emma trained and qualified at Russell Jones & Walker (now Slater & Gordon) where she worked as a qualified solicitor for 9 years. She had a varied practice and developed extensive experience in litigation, and regulatory and advisory work for trade union, police and private clients. She represented employees and claimants in a wide range of claims and forums, including discrimination (she obtained one of the highest tribunal awards in a disability discrimination claim), flexible and part time working, dismissals (including involving TUPE issues), whistleblowing, data protection, terms and conditions, judicial review and complex county / high court litigation including representing multiple claimants. She also undertook a wide range of advisory work for trades unions and staff associations in relation to their members’ legal entitlements.

 From 2003 to 2010, in addition to her full time legal work, Emma was a non-executive Director at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. The Tavistock and Portman is a specialist provider of NHS mental health services, and is also a major training institution in the field of mental health. Emma was one of six non-executive directors sitting on the trust’s board of directors. Along with the other board members she was ultimately responsible for the running and strategic direction of the trust. In addition to her role as board member, she was an active member of the trust’s audit committee for the full duration of her service, chaired and participated in the appointments panels for a number of key senior appointments, and also took a non-executive lead on equality, HR issues, adult services, remuneration of doctors and child protection. The Trust nominated her for a Non-Executive Director of the Year award in late 2009 and she was appointed to the role of senior independent director on 1 March 2010. Emma has written frequently on employment law and related subjects,

Oxford University (University College); double first class degree in Classics (1996), CPE (1999), LPC with distinction (2000).

Music.