Praised as a ‘national leader in claimant work’, the Manchester-based group at Leigh Day boasts unique experience in equal pay matters. The team’s expertise spans across a broad range of employment issues, with particular emphasis on sex and disability discrimination, worker status law, holiday pay, and advising senior executives on exit arrangements, as well as matters involving unions and industrial rights. Lauren Lougheed is particularly skilled in group litigation and equal pay mandates, and Linda Wong is also ‘exceptional in her knowledge and experience of equal pay work’, as well being experienced in matters involving sexual harassment, discrimination, and whistleblowing. The department also includes Mike Cain, whose ‘knowledge of the senior executive market is unbeaten'. He is also a seasoned expert in trade union and employee work in the industrial sectors, and Ryan Bradshaw specialises in the interdisciplinary crossover between human rights and employment law.

With an ‘outstanding commitment to clients’, Brabners LLP's employment team in Manchester has particular expertise in senior executive work spanning a broad range of sectors, including tribunal claims relating to discrimination and whistleblowing and the negotiation of exit agreements and settlements. National head of employment, pensions, and immigration Nick Campbell is highly experienced in representing senior executives and high-profile figures in complex employment claims and disputes. The group also includes the ‘excellent’ sports law expert Lydia Edgar, who advises senior executives on a variety of employment issues, Siobhan Howard-Palmer, who specialises in individual claims, and Lee Jefcott, an expert in exit agreements.

With sector-specific expertise in sports, leisure, and hospitality, Kuit Steinart Levy LLP in Manchester provides ‘fantastic employment advice' to a broad range of employees, and the group is particularly knowledgeable in tribunal litigation, senior executive terminations, and redundancies. Leading the group, Kevin McKenna advises clients on the full spectrum of employment law, and is especially experienced in senior executive terminations, restrictive covenants, unfair dismissal claims, discrimination cases, and redundancies. The team also includes Sally Bird, who advises directors in boardroom disputes and has expertise in matters involving employee stakeholders, contractual disputes, and breach of restrictive covenants. Mark McKeating, who advises on a broad range of employment law and is particularly skilled in senior executive terminations, is also a key contact.

With expertise in the full spectrum of employment matters, Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers Ltd in Manchester can uniquely provide both legal and financial advice to employee clients. The group has extensive experience representing employees in group actions, acting for directors and senior employees in executive termination negotiations and other disciplinary matters, as well as in advising on the enforceability of restrictive covenants. The practice is co-led by employment specialist Alan Lewis, who primarily acts for directors, professionals, and senior executives in disputes with employers, and Susan Mayall, who advises clients across a broad range of sectors and has expertise in a variety of employment issues, including discrimination, restrictive covenants, and TUPE cases.

People Legal in Wilmslow is a specialist employment law firm with a ‘fantastic' team that advises individuals on the full range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters. The group works with senior employees across a variety of sectors, and has particular expertise in tribunal claims involving discrimination and whistleblowing, as well as advising employees on disciplinary and dismissal processes and settlement negotiations. Employment specialist Chris McAvoy-Newns leads the group and is ‘extremely knowledgeable in his field'; he frequently advises high-net-worth individuals on issues such as discrimination, whistleblowing, and unfair and constructive dismissal. The group also includes Lauren Beaumont, who advises on all aspects of employment law. Jessica Daniel moved to Markel Law LLP in July 2023.

The  Manchester-based employment team at Slater and Gordon is praised by clients as a ‘professional leader in representing employees and trade union members which harbours an almost unparalleled level of knowledge and expertise’. A key practitioner is Sadiq Vohra, who is ‘an exceptional lawyer' handling a variety of claimant employment and civil work for clients such as the Police Federation and trade unions, and has expertise in discrimination matters and group litigation. The ‘very knowledgeable' Karen Murray is sought after for the full spectrum of employment law, including whistleblowing and discrimination cases, and she is also experienced with group litigation claims. The team also includes Victoria Schofield, whose ‘client care is second-to-none; she primarily advises trade union members and handles employment litigation relating to discrimination.

A team appreciated for its ‘loyalty, support and friendliness‘, Gorvins Solicitors in Stockport advises employees on the full range of employment matters, with particular expertise in redundancy and bulk compromise agreements, employment tribunals, discrimination cases, senior executive departures, and post-termination restrictions. Key team member is Amanda Isherwood is particularly experienced in contentious employment issues and tribunals, especially those involving disability, maternity, and pregnancy.

Primas in Manchester has a ‘first-class team' that acts for employees in a broad range of employment claims and disputes. The practice is led by David Walton, who is an employment law expert regularly advising across the full range of contentious and non-contentious work. Walton is highly experienced in bringing claims on behalf of employees before employment tribunals, as well acting in matters involving whistleblowing, TUPE issues, and restrictive covenants. Danielle Ayres, who advises on the full range of employment issues, including restrictive covenants, grievances, disciplinary issues, and Employment Tribunal claims, and who is also sought after for her expertise in pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination, is another key practitioner.

Praised as a ‘real powerhouse when it comes to industrial action-related matters', Thompsons Solicitors LLP works alongside trade unions to exclusively represent claimant employees. The firm also has a specialist settlement agreement unit. The group is led by Jamie Humphries in Manchester who ‘has a level of detail in all his work that cannot be matched', and he specialises in discrimination and TUPE cases. Bernard Wentworth in Liverpool, who is an expert in trade union law and employment matters, is also a key contact.