Fountain Court Chambers

Employment law, professional regulation and commercial law. Industrial relations law – especially injunctive work in relation to strike action. Junior counsel to the Crown 1999-2012. Treasury “A” panel 2005-2012. Silk 2012.

Recent cases include:

SRA v Leigh Day 2015-2018 inc [2018] EWHC 2726 (Counsel for Respondents, defending regulatory allegations made against the firm and senior partner, Martyn Day.  Longest Solicitors’ Disciplinary Tribunal hearing to date).

Ryanair v BALPA 2019 (Counsel for Claimant – strike action by Balpa).

Major trade union recognition dispute (Counsel for employer) 2018-2019.

Fox v SR Technics 2018-2019 (Counsel for Respondent – multi-jurisdiction collective agreements).

Weiss v SJJ 2018-2019 (Counsel for Defendant – springboard relief and ex-employee confidence).

Double Negative v Mortelette 2018 (Counsel for Defendant – contempt of Court).

Counsel for NHS commissioning bodies in multi-contract procurement disputes and NHS pendulum adjudications 2013-2018. SRA v Chan 2015-2016 [2015] EWHC 2659 (Counsel for SRA, regulation of solicitors and Stamp Duty Land Tax avoidance schemes). National Rail Strike 2015 (Counsel for Network Rail). London Underground strike action 2011-2015 (Counsel for LU). Royal Mail Privatisation 2013 (Counsel for RM). Rickhuss v Network Rail 2013-15 (Counsel for NWR – collective bargaining and collective agreements). Pavithran v London Clinic 2013-14 (Counsel for LC – alleged whistle blowing).

British Airways plc v Unite [2010] IRLR 42 (Counsel for BA – injunction against 12-day cabin crew strike – Xmas 2009). BA v Unite (No.2) [2010] IRLR 809 (HC and CoA – Counsel for BA – injunction application to restrain May/June 2010 cabin crew strike). Metrobus v Unite [2010] ICR 173 (Counsel for Metrobus – injunction against London bus strike). Unite v easyJet [2010] TUR1/723 (Counsel for easyJet – resisting application for statutory union recognition). Muschett v HMPS [2010] IRLR 173 (Counsel for HMPS – race discrimination claims and temporary workers).

1991: Called to Bar. Lincoln’s Inn.

1999: Appointed as Junior Counsel to the Crown.

2005: Appointed to Treasury Counsel ‘A’ Panel.

2006-2012: Board Member on the Standards Board for England.

2009: Appointed as Diversity Ambassador for Public Appointments.

2012: Queen’s Counsel.

ComBar. Industrial Law Society. Employment Lawyers Association.

1979-86: Marple Hall Comprehensive, Stockport.

1986-89: MA Cambridge University, Downing College, Double First Class Honours.

Proxime accessit: Part 1(a) of Tripos (1987) and Part II of Tripos (1989).

1987: Rebecca Flower Scholarship and JC Platt Prize.

1988: Clive Parry Prize for International Law and Joseph Squire Scholarship.

1989: Harris Senior Scholarship.

1989-90: BCL Oxford University, Brasenose College, First Class Honours.

1990: Brasenose Graduate Prize.

1989-91: Lincoln’s Scholarships and Awards:

1989: Hardwicke Entrance Award.

1990: Mansfield Scholar.

1991: Denning Scholar.