Barrister Profile

Profile

Laura joined Chambers in April 2008, having formerly practised on the Northern Circuit.

Laura’s principal areas of practice are personal injury and employment, however she is available to accept instructions in all other areas of Chambers’ practice. Her approach is modern and service-orientated. Paperwork is returned in any required format although almost all of her solicitors receive papers by email in the first instance as a matter of course. With regard to conferences, Laura is more than happy to attend at solicitors’ or clients’ offices.

 “Laura was on top of all the papers, alert to all the issues and incredibly responsive to the way the hearing unfolded… The judgement was a testament to her clarity of analysis” – Xerox UK Ltd.

“Laura’s advocacy, especially her cross examination of the claimant went a long way towards us winning the case” - Lewis Silkin.

“Laura handled the conference extremely impressively” - Partner at Irwin Mitchell.

Practice Areas

Employment

Laura has a wealth of experience representing both claimants and respondents in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, unfair and wrongful dismissal, redundancy, whistleblowing, TUPE, breach of contract, and unlawful deduction from wages. Laura is involved with cases in an advisory capacity from the early stages, and appears regularly in the tribunals and EAT. She represents a wide range of clients from international and FTSE 100 companies, to charities, local authorities and shop floor workers.

Recent cases of interest include:

Lambden v. Henley Rugby Football Club UKEAT/0505/08 – Laura successfully represented the respondent at both the ET and EAT. The principal rugby coach claimed that he had been unfairly dismissed and discriminated against on the grounds of age.Although there were numerous factors more consistent with employment, the claimant’s choice to be treated as an independent contractor was incompatible with him being an employee.

X v. British Airways (2010) - Laura successfully represented the respondent in an unfair dismissal claim involving misconduct and contraband. Laura obtained a cost order against a litigant in person in the sum of £1,500.

M v. X and Ors (2010) - Laura advised the claimant on the prospects of an application for injunctive relief against three senior IT engineers.

M v. O (2010) - Laura was instructed to represent the respondent in a factually sensitive disability discrimination claim listed for eight days.

T v Sage UK Ltd (2009) – Laura successfully represented the claimant at a PHR where the respondent attempted to strike out over thirty causes of action in a complex pregnancy discrimination claim including unfair dismissal by way of redundancy.

X v. V (2009) - Laura represented a corporate finance and M&A advisory firm in a factually complicated claim of race discrimination and non-payment of bonus.

X v. Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Ors (2009) - A race discrimination case with over fifty separate allegations of discrimination was settled after two days of judicial mediation led by Laura.

X v. Marks & Spencer Ltd (2009) - Laura successfully represented the respondent in an age and sex discrimination case, where the sickness absence policy, which applied to over 30,000 employees nationwide, was alleged to be discriminatory.

X v. H (2009) - Laura successfully represented the respondent, a prestigious London hotel, in a complex unfair dismissal claim.

Personal Injury / Clinical Negligence

Laura has a busy personal injury practice drafting pleadings and schedules, advising on liability and quantum, and representing claimants and defendants in fast track and multi track matters. She is instructed in all areas of personal injury work, including occupier's and employer's liability matters, claims against local authorities and road traffic accident disputes. She also has experience dealing with LVI and credit hire claims. As well as privately funded and LEI work, Laura accepts instructions on a CFA basis. Laura also appears for interested parties at inquests.

Recent cases of interest include:

D v. P (2010) – Laura is junior counsel representing a claimant in a claim for catastrophic spinal injury arising out of a diving accident. Led by Stephen Killalea QC.

S v. P (2010) - Laura represents the claimant in a complex special damages claim arising from a road traffic accident. Damages include lost earnings from lucrative international building contracts.

X v. Y (2010)– Laura aplied for a stay in a contested CMC, in order to allow time to establish whether a surrogate pregnancy was viable before bringing a claim under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976.

Other Reported Cases

R. v. Neaven [2006] EWCA Crim 955 - In the interests of justice to admit fresh evidence of mental illness not relied upon at trial. Conviction of murder quashed and manslaughter verdict substituted - Led by Gerard McDermott QC.

R. (Upon the prosecution of one of HM Inspectors of Health & Safety) v. (1) D.W. Tilley Ltd (2) Stagecoach Group Plc (3) South East London and Kent Bus Company Limited - Prosecution for breach of Health and Safety At Work Act 1974, s.4(2) - Led by Andrew Moran QC.

Memberships & Associations

PIBA
ELA
ILS
COMBAR

Education

• Bmus (hons) 1st Class - University of Manchester & Royal Northern College of Music "Joint Course"
• Post Graduate Diploma in Law & BVC - Manchester Metropolitan University

Awards & Scholarships

• Full Music Scholarship - University of Manchester & Royal Northern College of Music "Joint Course"
• Lord Brougham Scholarship - Lincoln's Inn
• Wolfson Scholarship - Lincoln's Inn
• Hardwicke Entrance Scholarship - Lincoln's Inn
• Sir Thomas More Bursary - Lincoln's Inn
• Richard Isaacson Memorial Scholarship - Awarded for the highest Bar Vocational Course mark achieved by a new practitioner on the Northern Circuit.