Barrister Profile
Talia Barsam
| Year of Call | 2006 |
|---|
Areas of Practice
Employment
Talia has extensive experience in employment law, including all areas of discrimination law, unfair dismissal, redundancy, equal pay, breach of contract, bullying and harassment, TUPE, Working Time Regulations, restrictive covenants, jurisdictional issues, compromise agreements.
Talia acts for both claimants and respondents. Talia's clients include banks, law firms, high street chains, NHS Trusts, the Metropolitan Police Service, trade unions and a wide range of public and private sector clients.
Talia has advised clients in relation to all areas of employment law. Recent advisory work includes advice on redundancy procedures and indirect discrimination on grounds of sex. Talia has also recently advised on a trade union dispute.
Talia frequently appears in Employment Tribunals, the EAT and the High Court. Appointed a Member of the Panel of Counsel for the Commission of Equality & Human Rights in January 2011.
Recent cases include:
- I v B&C (2010) (represented the respondent, an employment agency, in a six day indirect and direct race discrimination claim)
- Thunderbolt v Coertze (2010) (successfully represented the claimant in an interim injunction application)
- Dobner v RBS (2010) (successfully represented the claimant in a constructive unfair dismissal claim and claim for failure to make reasonable adjustments)
- Soetan v RAC Motoring Services (2010) (successfully represented the respondent in a race discrimination and constructive unfair dismissal claim)
- English v National Magazine Company (2010) (successfully represented the respondent in a pregnancy discrimination claim)
- Switalski v F & C Asset Management (2009) (successfully represented the claimant in a high level sex discrimination claim led by Suzanne McKie)
- Gutierrez v Digby Trout Restaurant (2009) (represented the respondent in a whistleblowing claim)
- Brentagani's Bistro Limited v Cafe Latti, EAT (2009) (successfully represented the respondent in the claimant's application to extend time to appeal)
- Haq v Newham NHS Trust (2009) (successfully represented the respondent in an equal pay claim)
- Akyeampong v CWU (2008) (successfully represented the respondent union in a race discrimination claim; obtained a costs order against the claimant)
- Khan v Abbey National Plc (2008) (represented the claimant in a 16 day race discrimination claim led by Joanna Heal)
- Rhodes v Window Tech Trade Ltd (2007) (successfully represented the claimant in a disability discrimination claim)
- Przybylska v Modus Telecom Ltd, EAT (2007) (successfully appealed to the EAT on the correct construction of an employment contract)
Personal Injury
Talia has experience in a range of personal injury claims including workplace accidents, stress at work, noise induced hearing loss, tripping claims, occupier's liability, clinical negligence and road traffic accidents. She has experience in drafting pleadings and schedules of loss, as well as advising on liability and the quantum of general and special damages.
Talia has experience in small claims, fast track and multi track litigation (pre-trial applications and substantive hearings). She has recently acted for the claimant in a high-value clinical negligence claim.
Recent cases include:
- advised the claimant on a complex multi track claim for psychiatric injury
- advised the claimant on a claim arising from an accident abroad
Commercial and Professional Negligence
Talia has experience in a range of commercial matters, particularly insurance and reinsurance, commercial contractual disputes, jurisdiction and professional negligence. She has experience in drafting pleadings for fast track and multi track commercial cases and has acted in fast track commercial trials and pre-trial applications.
Recent cases include:
- successfully represented the claimant in an application for a springboard injunction in the High Court
- advised the claimant and drafted pleadings for a claim issued in the High Court for breach of restrictive covenants
- advised the claimant and drafted pleadings for a negligence and breach of contract claim arising out of an employee's conveyance of property
- advised the claimant on the appropriate forum for a breach of contract claim
- advised the defendant and drafted a defence and counterclaim in a claim under the Sale of Goods Act 1979
As a pupil Talia worked alongside Richard Harrison in a number of insurance disputes, including Tesco Stores Ltd v David Constable and others [2007] EWHC 2088 (Comm), which was led by Colin Edelman QC.
Additional Information
Admitted to the New York State Bar (2008)
Professional memberships
ELBA, PIBA, COMBAR, Free Representation Unit
Seminars and Lectures
Talia has lectured on several subjects. Recent topics include:
- Anti-Strike Injunctions and Actions Against Striking Employees
- Age Discrimination
- Changes to Terms & Conditions
- Remedies
- Disability Discrimination
- Discrimination Law Update 2008-2009
Publications
Claims for Criminal Injuries, Claims Involving Children and Claims Involving Patients in the Lexis PSL, Personal Injury Service
Education
Bar Vocational Course, College of Law, 2006
LL.M, New York University School of Law, 2005
B.A. Affiliate Law, Cambridge University, Upper Second Class Honours, 2004
B.A. English, Birmingham University, First Class Honours, 2000
Prizes and scholarships
Becker Law Scholarship (Cambridge University)
Exhibition Award (Inner Temple)