The firm has a long established practice in providing employment advisory and litigation services to both employers and employees.

On the advisory side clients are faced with ever increasing statutory regulation of all aspects of the employment relationship. We regularly advise on the content of contracts of employment, policies and procedures and how clients might deal with individual situations as they arise. We advise all sizes of enterprise, as well as public and quasi-public bodies.

We also frequently advise employees and executives in relation to the acceptance of job offers, the negotiation of changes to contracts of employment, terms and conditions, contentious situations and severance packages.

In Northern Ireland there is a marked readiness to litigate in the employment field. In addition to general issues of wrongful and unfair dismissal and redundancy there is a strong awareness of and reliance on the laws concerning unlawful discrimination. Whilst the laws against racial discrimination were a late-comer to Northern Ireland there have been wide-ranging and particular laws against religious and political discrimination since 1976. Northern-Irish cases have made a considerable contribution to the development of employment and discrimination law through the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal, the House of Lords and the European Court of Justice.

The firm has a particular interest in the transfer of undertakings legislation and successfully defended the first major case in Northern Ireland, brought against a transferee, in the early 1980's.

Our objective is to give realistic and practical advice to clients giving full weight to their needs and requirements.

Contacts:- Gareth Browne & Roger Watts