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Richard’s principal areas of specialism include employment and professional discipline and regulation. During his career he has advised clients on contentious and non-contentious employment law issues in all industry sectors, ranging from FTSE 100 and 250 companies, to SMEs, local authorities and charities. He is also experienced in working directly with in-house legal teams and HR/senior management, whether in the private or public sector, particularly where there are potential or actual heavyweight discrimination or collective claims.

With a specialism in trade union law and collective consultation obligations, Richard has acted in some of the leading cases on protective awards, including UK Coal v NUM/BACM [2008] IRLR 4 and AMICUS v Nissan [2005] All ER (D) 128. He has advised a number of different trade unions on such claims, but also employers - and therefore his 'poacher-turned-gamekeeper' (or vice versa) experiences can be invaluable. 

Richard’s experience in the retail sector is particularly extensive; he has over the course of his career advised Tesco, Sainsburys, Greggs, Primark and other organisations with branches, head offices and distribution warehouses - and therefore is fully aware of the complexities that can bring in the HR/employment context. In 2015 he acted for Tesco at the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Gondalia v Tesco [[2015] UKEAT/0320/14/JOJ which has appeared in the recent edition of Tolley’s Employment Handbook as authority for a more flexible approach by tribunals when dealing with allegations of “dishonesty”. In 2016 he successfully acted for Greggs plc in a tribunal claim that received national press attention and appeared in the Tribunal Watch section of Personnel Today (“Greggs baker fairly dismissed for not washing hands”), provoking the well-trodden debate over dismissals of long serving employees based on zero-tolerance policies. He continues to be instructed by “market-leading companies”, as recognised by Chambers & Partners in 2014.

He is routinely conducting cases against more senior Counsel, including QCs. For example, in 2016 he again appeared in the EAT on behalf of the Royal College of Nursing on the reported TUPE case of Arch Initiatives v Greater Manchester West Health NHS Foundation Trust & Others [2016] IRLR 406, which is now one of the leading TUPE cases on the criteria for a service provision change where the activities are split along functional lines. Richard was also instructed in the original ET hearing which lasted 17 days.

He has recently developed a niche practice of advising and representing individuals in the marine sector, on jurisdictional arguments and other disputes with an international dimension.

He also has experience of professional disciplinary tribunals, including the General Medical Council.

Richard is able to advise on the more commercial aspects of employment law, such as restrictive covenants and springboard injunctions.

He has recently advised a number of individuals on defending proceedings brought against them by their ex-employer in order to claw-back bonuses that had been paid to them. He has also advised employers on recovering from departing employees various kinds of payments such as training costs, indemnified commission, etc.

He has also advised on employment agency fees and commissions.

In the area of Sports law, Richard has advised several businesses in the sports sector, including professional football clubs in the Championship and Premiership. This has included player and senior executive settlement agreements and contractual disputes.

Richard has appeared for both Claimants and Defendants in all matters, including low velocity impact claims and cases where fraud has been either detected or suspected, as well as credit hire disputes based on rate, period and/or need. He recently delivered a talk to a national law firm on the concept of “fundamental dishonesty”.

Richard accepts instructions in all areas of personal injury acting for Claimants or Defendants on both liability and/or quantum. He has experience in accidents at work (e.g. the ‘six pack’ regulations), highways claims, and RTAs. He represents clients in fast track trial proceedings, in addition to small claims, disposal hearings (including through the MOJ Portal process), as well as application hearings at all stages of proceedings e.g. relief from sanctions. He is also regularly instructed on infant approvals, including quantum advice and settlement hearings. For credit hire/fraud related personal injury matters, see above.