Employment

Our team provides pragmatic advice on all employment and HR issues, from contracts, ad-hoc advice and litigation, to more complex reorganisations, outsourcing and acquisitions.

We provide practical and strategic advice that is tailored to our clients’ needs. Our clients are a diverse group – we act for employers, from blue chip companies to small local charities, and also for employees. We know that the same approach does not work for all.

We believe that our business should complement your business, not the other way around. That is why we actively seek to get to know our clients and how they work so that we can tailor our advice to their way of thinking. Our advice will be commercial with the options, risks, costs and benefits explained at the outset. If we can resolve a matter in minutes, we will.

Our team has impressive knowledge across the full range of employment issues and we are able to offer you the significant benefit of experts at different experience levels. Not every matter requires partner level advice or fees and if we think that an instruction can be handled by a different solicitor at a lower cost, we will let you know.

We are as comfortable advising on complex areas such as high court litigation, difficult exits of senior employees and enforcement of restrictive covenants, as we are providing day to day HR advice on matters such as redundancies and dismissals.

We have expertise in advising senior employees at director or executive level, including negotiation of contractual terms, restraints of trade, employee shareholder agreements and exit packages.

We also have a reputation for securing our clients the best possible terms if they are leaving employment under a settlement agreement and, with extensive experience of advising businesses, we can offer you a valuable insight into the approach your employer may take.

Our work for you doesn’t stop once a matter concludes. We seek long term relationships with our clients and focus on adding value, such as providing training sessions upon request, offering regular email updates, seminars, workshops, webinars and podcasts.

Successfully defending our large international client ($1 billion annual turnover and over 8,500 employees) against action in the High Court and Employment Tribunal valued in excess of £1 million, including resolving complex jurisdictional issues, including the application of foreign law within the UK courts.

Handling and resolving a group claim concerning more than 170 employees and workers for an underpayment of holiday pay against our client.

Obtaining the dismissal at a preliminary hearing of a potential high value unfair dismissal claim against our client and securing a successful cost award against the claimant.

Handling a large scale multi-jurisdictional redundancy process for our international client involving more than 2,500 employees

From 26 October 2024, all employers will have a mandatory duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees.

A failure to comply, or be able to demonstrate compliance with this duty, will increase the risk of sexual harassment claims and can even increase their value by up to 25%.

The new legislation requires employers to proactively take steps to ensure the safety of their employees and a policy alone is unlikely to be enough. In anticipation of this, we have developed a comprehensive toolkit designed to help employers comply with their duty.

This toolkit includes various options and packages:

    1. Sexual Harassment Prevention Legal Review£500 plus VAT
    This includes:

    • A comprehensive risk assessment via an online questionnaire
    • A review of any existing equal opportunities and anti-harassment policies
    • Production of a bespoke report with recommendations for your business

    2. Provision of relevant policiesPrices for new documents range from £425 – £850 plus VAT (with discounts available for multiple policies)
    Options include:

    • Producing new documents:
      • Standard and bespoke sexual harassment policies
      • Full equal opportunities and anti-harassment and bullying policies
    • Working with your existing documents to make recommendations on how/if they should be updated

    3. TrainingPrices for the basic/comprehensive training range from £750 – £3,250 plus VAT (with bolt on options also available)
    Options include:

    • ‘Basic’ level overview training, suitable for all staff
    • ‘Comprehensive’ training for non-management and/or management staff
    • Bespoke training packages tailored to your particular business needs

    4. Discounted Packages£1,995/ £3,250/ £5,500 plus VAT

    • Bronze, Silver, and Gold level packages offering a combination of the above services at discounted rates

    Ensure your business is prepared and compliant with the new legislation. Contact us today to learn more about how our toolkit can help you create a safer and more inclusive workplace: [email protected]

    "Any advice sought has been provided in a timely manner, reflecting a succinct understanding of the matter in hand."
    "The team at Field Seymour Parkes works very well at allocating the right level of experience and expertise to every request for support."
    Legal 500 UK
    "Exceptionally supportive, responsive, technically excellent and investing in relationship with their clients."
    Legal 500 UK
    "They are small enough to treat you as an important client, no matter the size of your business, but they are also big enough to offer a strong level of specialised legal support across a wide range of litigation issues."
    Legal 500 UK
    "They are very approachable and responsive, regardless of whether they are a junior member of the team or a partner. They are also pragmatic with their advice, explaining the risks whilst trying to recognise the commercial needs of the business."
    “They are conscious and sensitive to commercial factors and how legal requirements and actions might impact on a business.”
    "The employment team takes time to understand the nature of the business and to factor in a range of issues which might be impacting on the matter in hand."
    Legal 500 UK
    "FSP provides a multi-disciplinary team, which makes them an excellent “one-stop shop” where support is required on matters which may be multi-faceted. The team shares information with colleagues internally rather than a client having to explain a problem multiple times, and the single point of contact co-ordinates and manages the flow of information and communications."
    Legal 500 UK
    "Billing arrangements are clear. Quotes are available if requested, and the breakdowns of costs provided with invoices are clear. Usefully, the team provides information in advance of an invoice on accrued time and confirms with a client the amount of time to be invoiced in any given period."
    "I have been very happy with their advice, responsiveness and commercial pragmatism. They are approachable and thorough."
    "They meet all our needs for legal advice. In this past challenging year, our requirements have been mixed and varied with different time constraints. Whomever, we have dealt at FSP they have dealt with the matters promptly and efficiently. This has been especially important as some of the issues have been employment related."
    "The team take the time to ensure that you understand the legalities of a situation and go through all your options with you. They understand the nature of staffing structure and operation and they take the time to find out how you operate in your industry."
    "Approachable, responsive and pragmatic approach to providing advice when required. Proactive with updates on Employment law changes that need disseminating to employers. Team communicates effectively as we can call any member and they can interchange well and pick up as necessary."
    "Friendly, approachable, quick to respond and always with professional, competent, honest and supportive advice."
    "They are very professional, commercially and legally focused and technologically savvy. They are a thoroughly professional, supportive and responsive group."
    "They are very clear and very quick to answer questions. What we appreciate most of all is their tactical approach."
    "Very approachable and knowledgeable team, that communicates well and has a quick turnaround."
    "The team give clear advice in a friendly yet thoughtful way. The advice is always excellent and the team are a pleasure to work with."

    Sue Tibballs OBE, CEO, The Sheila McKechnie Foundation
    Legal 500 UK
    "Very friendly, open-minded to various options, willing to discuss and debate options, rather than offer a single option. Communications with clients is detailed, but presented in a clear, non-legal way."
    "Identifies the risks and evaluates the best course of action"
    "The FSP team understands our business and their advice mirrors the reality of employment at Business Moves Group. This integrated approach allows us to manage and direct our employees with clarity and confidence."

    Rachel Walton, Managing Director, Business Moves Group
    "Whistl have worked closely with FSP for many years. They are pragmatic, knowledgeable and balanced. They make certain we are kept up to date on legal developments and the team has always been approachable and efficient. They constantly provide us with invaluable support."

    Lynn Dillon, HR Director, Whistl
    "FSP is very much focused on individualised support, where you get to know the member of the team who is helping you. They have a range of colleagues they can then refer to as needed. I have found all members of FSP to be knowledgeable, approachable, and professional."
    "The Team at FSP are customer focused, efficient, and responsive. They have all the resources and innovations that you would expect from a successful law firm, but it is the people that make the difference. Having worked with a number of employment lawyers over the years, I have found the advice, support and service from FSP exceptional."
    "The relationship, team are responsive, balanced and pragmatic. Willing to listen and adapt as necessary based on our requirements but always within the legal framework. Provide training sessions for the HR management team to ensure we are up to date with employment legislation or a specific topic that we have identified."

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