Five Paper

Shane Crawford is a specialist employment law barrister who provides a quality of service based on over twenty years’ experience in this field. Forensic attention to detail and precision of advocacy at final hearings are anecdotes describing Shane’s involvement by previous clients.

Employment Law

Shane’s experience encompasses all areas of employment law issues and he possesses particular expertise in conducting lengthy hearings of complexity through the whole spectrum of discrimination claims and TUPE. The other areas in which he regularly represents clients are whistleblowing, contract, unlawful deduction of wages, national minimum wage, agency and part-time workers claims and unfair dismissal. He is highly regarded in his field and is sought after for his subtlety and assertive presence in tribunal and court. He is attentive to the client’s needs and provides a balanced assessment of merits of a case.

Shane’s client base includes private sector respondents and public employers. Shane has a depth of experience in representing claimants from all different professional and trade union backgrounds.

Discrimination

Shane’s case load includes multi-day discrimination cases. A sample of the cases in which he has been involved are:

• Nov 2021. Pollard v Aquinas Church of England education trust. Successfully defending Trust in a two-week hearing against allegations of whistleblowing and unfair dismissal in the context of accusations of covering up manipulation of exam results.
• Sep 2021: Mrs M Fitzmaurice v Luton Irish Forum: EA-2020-000295-RN (Previously UKEATPA/0313/20/RN: Responding to appeal by claimant in whistleblowing case.
• Mar 2021. K v Middlesex University London. Representing the university in claims by a lecturer of discrimination and whistleblowing alleging fraud.
• Dec 2021 O v LBC. Responding to appeal by claimant on asserted error of law in test of victimisation. Awaiting EAT judgement.
• Nov 2021. Gallagher v Bunzl UK Ltd. Successful strikeout application of claims of sexual harassment and constructive unfair dismissal against claimant on basis of vexatious and scandalous conduct by claimant.  
• Jul 2021. Hussain V Santio Ltd. Defending respondent in multi-day discrimination case claimant alleged direct discrimination and harassment based on religion and race by fellow BAME colleagues.  
• Jun 2021. Reid v GQF planning Ltd. Representing a financial advice company in two-week hearing defending claims of unauthorised deduction from wages in respect of non-payment of incentive bonus and breach of contract in respect of pension contributions, sex discrimination and equal pay, constructive unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and victimisation
• May 2021. Philpott v MUK Services. Successfully defending the claim of s.15 disability discrimination, failure to make reasonable adjustments, harassment and unfair (constructive) dismissal against a DWP assessor of eligibility for ill health and disability benefits.  
• Apr 2021. NH v S. Representing a national catering and food company in a multi-day hearing against claims of race and religious discrimination and harassment alleged on the basis of subconscious bias amongst management of the same race.
• Feb 2021. Maruf v Network Rail. Representing claimant, systems analyst, in a two-week hearing of discrimination and harassment.
• MH v West Mercia Police – successfully representing claimant in 4 week final hearing for claims of discrimination and harassment.
• EB v LB of Croydon – representing respondent in response to claims of disability and maternity discrimination.
• JD v Care for U – successfully representing claimant in claims of disability discrimination and unfair dismissal.
• Hemdan v Ishmail – successfully obtaining deposit order in an allegation of caste discrimination.
• Hanley and Barnes v Birmingham City Council – successfully representing respondent in a claim for age discrimination.
• Tully v Council for Voluntary Service Rochdale – successfully representing respondent in a Whistleblowing case.
• Hadera v Boots Management Services – successfully representing respondent in a claim of race discrimination.
• Bibb v West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority – representing claimant in a claim of disability discrimination.
• Manoj v VF Services – successfully representing respondent in a claim of sexual harassment and victimisation.
• Williams v E.On – representing respondent in a claim for sex discrimination.

Appellate experience

He has significant experience of conducting appeals in the EAT having done both pro bono and privately funded cases.

Reported cases:

• R (Badur) v Birmingham Crown Court and others [2006] EWHC 539 (Admin)
• Carroll v Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime UKEATPA/0203/14/JOJ
• Nikolova v M & P Enterprises London Ltd UKEAT/0293/15/DM

Regulatory 

Professional conduct and right to practise hearings

Shane is experienced in representing individuals appearing before the General Medical Council, National College for Teaching and Leadership and the Conduct and Competence committee Health and Care Professions Council.

Called 1996

ELA Pro Bono committee

LLB Hons, LLM – International Human Rights