Employment
Employment is a central focus of our business, with over 170 lawyers in our team supporting our clients in managing their people.
Consistently top-ranked amongst our peers for over two decades, we advise UK and multinational clients of all sizes, with most of our partners independently rated as leaders in the field. Not only do we have one of the UK’s largest employment law practices (covering both Great Britain and Northern Ireland), we have truly global reach as members of Ius Laboris, the world’s leading employment law alliance, and with our Asia Pacific base in Hong Kong and our Dublin offices.
Underpinning the success of any business are its people. Following events of the past few years, businesses are making strategic decisions such as how, when and where their workforce work, how to reward them and ways to provide a diverse and sustainable workplace culture. Whilst the evolution of the ‘employment deal’ brings opportunities, it also creates risk.
I don't know why a company would use another firm for employment advice: Lewis Silkin has fantastic lawyers who offer excellent, commercial advice and charge substantially less than bigger City firms. They have an unparalleled breadth of offerings (all of which we have used).
Legal 500 2022
Our award-winning specialist employment team supports clients on the full range of work – from day-to-day HR support through to advising on the most complex or contentious of disputes - with a track record of leading precedent setting cases on issues of the day. We have the agility to be fully flexible to what our clients need, providing the right team at the right price for all types of companies whatever their stage of development. Going far beyond just legal advice, we also support clients with a range of innovative, value-adding services including consultancy, training and flexible legal resourcing.
Accolades
- Chambers and Legal 500 have rated us as a Tier 1 practice for over a decade and this year name 31 of our partners as “leaders in their field”.
- Who’s Who Legal have twice named us “Global Law Firm of the Year for Labour, Employment & Pensions”. 19 of our lawyers are currently ranked in Who’s Who - substantially more than any other firm in the UK.
- “Approachable, friendly, thorough and responsive. They not only provide excellent legal advice tailored to our organisation, but they also provide great thought leadership and industry insights.” (Chambers & Partners 2023)
- “They have covered almost all aspects of employment law. They not only focus on the strategic issues for their clients, they have also derived innovative ways in which to structure their teams to accommodate their clients’ needs and provide a cost-effective solution. They also have a very strong bench and the associates are switched on and a pleasure to deal with.” (Legal 500 2023)
- “Lewis Silkin have grown from strength to strength in recent years and there is not one area of employment law that they are unable to cover.” (Legal 500 2023)
- “The size of the team means that there is extraordinary strength in depth and an unrivalled degree of expertise across all aspects of employment law. The Lawyers are also responsive, commercial and down to earth” (Chambers 2022)
- “Lewis Silkin has provided my team with exceptional support and advice over the years. They are true partners in the way they work with not only our in-house lawyers but other key stakeholders in our business. We rely on them as trusted advisers for all of our key cases and decisions in the employment sphere.” (Legal 500 2022)
- “Extraordinary strength in depth. Excellent training and empowering of associates means that everyone in the team can be relied upon to provide exceptional work.” (Legal 500 2022)
Related items
Related services
Lewis Silkin provides evidence on the Employment Rights Bill
29 November 2024We have provided written evidence to the parliamentary committee that is scrutinising the Employment Rights Bill.
Former Deliveroo rider’s application for employee compensation thrown out
28 November 2024As workers seek more freedom in how and when they work, the gig economy has become increasingly attractive to those seeking greater work-life balance. But gig work is often performed without the same safety nets and benefits of traditional employment, and consequently the classification of gig workers as employees or independent contractors has been a contentious issue which courts around the globe have had to grapple with.
The Employment Rights Bill
27 November 2024With Labour’s wide ranging Employment Rights Bill finally published, we will delve into the key details.
Improper behaviour: what is “undue pressure” in protected conversations?
27 November 2024The Employment Appeal Tribunal has clarified the circumstances in which pressure put on an employee during pre-termination negotiations crosses the line into improper behaviour. This is crucial when deciding whether evidence of the negotiations can be admitted in Employment Tribunal proceedings.
Implications of a Trump administration on DEI and employment law in the UK
27 November 2024Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are likely to come under increased scrutiny, criticism and attack in the US following the re-election of Donald Trump as US president. Meanwhile, in the UK, the new Labour government plans to drive through more ambitious equality legislation. What does it mean for companies caught in the middle of these counter currents?
Employment Rights Bill unpacked: extension of time limits for bringing tribunal claims
26 November 2024The government is amending the Employment Rights Bill to extend time limits for bringing tribunal claims from three to six months.
How risky is your festive party?
21 November 2024This is the first year when the new duty to prevent sexual harassment will be in force over the festive season. As employers make plans to celebrate with their workforces, how do sexual harassment risk assessments apply to workplace parties?