The Bar - Regional Bar • Wales and Chester Circuit
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Employment

Civitas Law

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Civitas Law’s employment group ‘stands out for its impressive roster of junior employment barristers’. Jonathan Walters, a highly experienced practitioner, primarily represents respondents, including both public and private sector employers. His practice encompasses discrimination and whistleblowing claims, among others. Christopher Howells has acted in disputes concerning restraint of trade, non-competition clauses, and injunctive relief, as well as in relation to discrimination and whistleblowing claims. Joanne Williams has recently been instructed in connection with race, disability, and sex discrimination claims. Owain Rhys James acts for both claimants and respondents, recently in unfair dismissal and disability discrimination cases.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Sandra Harvey, the senior clerk, is professional and efficient.'
  • 'Civitas Law stands out for its impressive roster of junior employment barristers based in Cardiff, consistently serving as initial choice for representation in Employment Tribunal cases across England and Wales. This preference is rooted in their depth of expertise and the ready availability of skilled counsel, ensuring robust support and advocacy in ET cases.'
  • 'Their clerks are always very responsive with a down-to-earth attitude.'

Silks

Juniors

Leading Juniors
Leading juniors are those with significant experience of key cases, strong market recognition from both peers and clients, and are seen as future candidates for silk.
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Christopher Howells
Civitas Law
‘Christopher demonstrates remarkable composure, professionalism, and an exceptional ability to connect with clients of all backgrounds. He navigates the courtroom with grace and remains unaffected by demanding judges. His extensive experience is complemented by meticulous preparation and he exceeds expectations as a skilled advocate. He also possesses a keen understanding of the complexities solicitors face, reflecting a deep respect for the collaborative process.'
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Jonathan Walters
Civitas Law
‘Jonathan is methodical, analytical and very approachable. He is excellent at grasping the issues in complex matters and also develops a great rapport with the client.'
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Joanne Williams
Civitas Law
‘Joanne is very responsive on receipt of a brief; she quickly reviews papers and gets to grips with the key legal and factual issues. She is personable, down to earth and easy to deal with. Her advocacy is a strength: she is methodical, clear in presenting oral arguments, picks up on inconsistencies during cross-examination, and keeps calm and professional when dealing with challenging witnesses.'
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Owain James
Civitas Law
'Owain is extremely personable. He has a great bedside manner with clients.  He is very bright and gets to grips with the core issues quickly.  He is also able to conduct work in Welsh, which is useful.'

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