Barrister Profile

Profile

Laura joined Chambers in 2008 after successful completion of a 12-month pupillage. She is available to accept instructions in all areas of Chambers' practice.

Employment

Laura has extensive experience of Employment Tribunal litigation and advisory work and has been instructed on all aspects of discrimination law, equal pay, unfair dismissal, whistle-blowing, TUPE, restrictive covenants, working time, holiday pay and bonus schemes.

She is a contributing author of Tottel's Discrimination Law (Tottel, 2009 to date).

Recent/current cases include:

• Turley v Global Radio Services Ltd. (2010) (represented the Respondent in a sex  discrimination and unfair dismissal claim)
• Boucary v Auto Repair Services Ltd. (2010) (represented the Respondent in a race discrimination and unfair dismissal claim)
• Siddell v Mears Ltd. (2009) (represented the Claimant in a 5-day whistle-blowing and unfair dismisal claim)
• Mutiene v Harrods Plc. (2009) (represented the Respondent in a claim for race discrimination and unfair dismissal)
• Andrew & Others v Inveresk St. Cuthberts (2009) (represented 27 Claimants in a breach of contract claim)
• Fogarty v Commotion Ltd. (2009) (represented the Claimant in a claim of sexual harrassment and constructive dismissal)
• Merchant v Siemans Industrial Technology Ltd. (2009) (represented the Claimant in a union-backed age discrimination claim arising out of new redundancy terms)
• Fletcher v West Horsley Dairies (2009) (represented the Respondent in a claim of disability and age discrimination).
• Hull v GCI Telecom Ltd. (2008) (represented the Claimant in an unfair dismissal claim arising from a transfer of undertakings in an insolvency situation)
• Switalski v F&C Asset Management (2008) (assisted Counsel for the Claimant, Suzanne McKie, in both the Employment Tribunal and EAT in this high-profile sex discrimination litigation).

Tax

R (Prudential Plc.) v Special Commissioner (2009) EWHC 2494 (statutory investigation powers; legal professional privilege for accountants giving tax advice) (led by Tim Brennan QC, the case will be heard by the Court of Appeal later in 2010)

Giant Strongbox Ltd. v HMRC (2010) (Tax Tribunal)

Commercial and Insurance

Laura has been instructed on a number of fast- and multi-track contractual disputes in the County Court and acted as Junior Counsel in High Court litigation

Recent/current cases include:

• Southern Rock Insurance v Endsleigh Insurance (2009) (representing the Claimant insurance company in a breach of contract claim against a claims handling service arising out of 50,000 motor insurance claims) (led by Colin Edelman QC and Richard Harrison)
• Surecast Alloys v Transport for London (Metronet Rail BVC) (2009) (two-day breach of contract claim)
• Kardas v British Telecom Plc. (2009) (breach of contract)

During pupillage Laura assisted Andrew Burns in the Employer's Liability Policy Trigger Litigation (2009) acting for the Claimant Mrs. Edwards, in one of the lead cases involving the coverage of Employer's Liability Insurance Policies in respect of damages for mesothelioma.

Personal Injury

Laura undertakes a range of personal injury work including workplace accidents, stress at work, road traffic accidents, employer's and occupier's liability claims and clinical negligence.

She drafts pleadings and schedules of loss and regularly advises on liability and quantum.

Recent Seminars and Lectures

She has recently provided lectures and training to City Solicitors and in-house lawyers on Restrictive Covenants and Confidentiality Injunctions; Remedies for Unfair Dismissal and Discrimination; and Advocacy in the Employment Tribunal.

Additional Information

Before being called to the Bar, Laura worked for (then-) Senator Hillary Clinton in New York and as a broadcast journalist for BBC News in Washington DC and Reuters Business Television in London.

Education

• BPP, Bar Vocational Course (Very Competent)
• City University, Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction)
• Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University - MA (Hons) 2:1 in Politics, Philosophy and Economics 

Scholarships and Awards

• Gray's Inn - Prince of Wales Scholarship (2007)
• Oxford University Press National Mooting Competition (2007) - 2nd prize
• Gray's Inn - special commendation for pupil advocacy (2008)

Professional Membership

Employment Law Bar Association (ELBA), Employment Lawyer's Association (ELA), Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR), Free Representation Unit