Phoebe is an Associate Solicitor in our Employment law team. She joined the firm as a Solicitor in March 2023, prior to which she trained and practised at notable Yorkshire and Newcastle-based firms. In May 2024, Phoebe was promoted to Associate Solicitor.

Phoebe provides advice in all areas of Employment Law, covering a full range of contentious and non-contentious matters.

On the non-contentious side, Phoebe regularly advises on:

• employment contracts for FT and PT and fixed-term appointments, apprenticeship agreements, agency workers, zero hours contracts and directors service agreements;
• staff handbooks, HR policies and the application of procedures;
• redundancies, restructuring and TUPE guidance;
• advice on family friendly rights;
• drafting settlement agreements for employers and independent advice for employees;
• advice on the enforcement of restrictive covenants;
• drafting consultancy agreements;
• supporting our corporate and commercial team with employment law advice on client business mergers and acquisitions;
• general day-to-day HR queries, such as how to deal with proposed changes to contractual terms; grievance, performance managements and disciplinary matters; sickness absence and long-term absence management; sickness, holiday and working-time pay queries, amongst many others.

As for contentious matters, Phoebe has experience representing both employers and employees in both mediation and tribunal cases.

Phoebe advises on employment disputes upon the initial internal issue arising and upon internal grievance, disciplinary or performance management procedures. The benefit of obtaining advice at the earliest time provides the option for private negotiations with the intention of amicable resolution, including via ACAS Early Conciliation to avoid the matter escalating to the Employment Tribunal.

Acting for both Claimants and Respondents in the Employment Tribunal, Phoebe has worked on a range of cases, including:

• unfair and constructive dismissal claims, including employment status and continuous service challenges;
• wrongful dismissal;
• unlawful deduction of wages claims including holiday pay and notice pay;
• multi-party and single claimant discrimination cases concerning disability, age, race, sex and sexual orientation discrimination, including harassment, sexual harassment and victimisation;
• equal pay claims;
• whistleblowing;
• breach of contract claims; and
• costs applications.

Phoebe also presents employment law seminars to clients and provides bespoke training workshops tailored to management or all staff levels.

Following the launch of our insurance-backed SMart HR Employment Law retainer service in 2024, Phoebe also provides advice to employers on their day-to-day queries and larger planned projects on all of the above matters and more.