Employment
Catherine’s employment practice covers the full spectrum of employment issues, with a particular focus on claims involving allegations of discrimination and whistleblowing. She is primarily instructed on behalf of respondents.
She is currently on the Attorney-General’s Regional A Panel of Junior Counsel, and she has particular experience of cases involving the public sector, having been instructed on behalf of government departments, local authorities, NHS Trusts and trade unions.
Catherine’s complementary personal injury practice means that she is well placed to advise in high value discrimination cases involving claims for personal injury and requiring the instruction of medical experts.
She also has experience of employment related commercial cases in the High Court involving allegations of breach of confidence, breach of fiduciary duty and restrictive covenants.
Catherine has a well-earned reputation for her organisation, her teamwork, and her ability to merge sensitivity with strength when instructed.
Employment Cases
Recent instructions include:
- Advising a government department facing a claim for sexual harassment and sex discrimination by a senior civil servant.
- Gajsler v Department for Work and Pensions (Manchester ET). Catherine represented the DWP in this claim in which G alleged that the DWP had failed to make reasonable adjustments over many years, allegedly causing a deterioration in her health and ultimate retirement on ill-health grounds. G discontinued her claim after being cross-examined.
- Rashid v Commissioners for HM Revenue & Customs (Manchester ET). R unsuccessfully claimed that HMRC’s decision not to appoint him to a vacancy was tainted by age, race and religious discrimination. Catherine represented HMRC.
- F v G (Liverpool ET). F claimed that she had been unfairly dismissed, and that her dismissal was an act of victimisation for having raised a complaint against G’s CEO. Catherine represented G at trial, following which F’s claims were dismissed.
- Representing a government department in a claim by an employee for equal pay, sex discrimination and constructive dismissal.
- Representing a facilities management company and its account manager in a claim alleging that the claimant had been sexually harassed.
- Representing a charity and its board in a claim brought by a former employee who claims to have been: unfairly dismissed and subjected to detriment on grounds of having made a protected disclosure (whistleblowing); directly discriminated against because of race, religious belief and sex; harassed related to race, religious belief and sex; and victimised.
- Representing a government department in a claim by two employees for indirect sex and age discrimination and equal pay.
- Representing a government department in a claim brought by a former employee alleging disability discrimination, harassment and unfair dismissal. The claim was dismissed after a 6 day hearing.
- Representing a government department in a claim brought by a former employee for disability discrimination (direct and failure to make reasonable adjustments), harassment and victimisation. The claim was dismissed after a 4 day hearing.
- Representing a government department in a claim brought by a former employee for direct and indirect disability discrimination, discrimination because of something arising in consequence of disability and a failure to make reasonable adjustments. The claim was dismissed after a 4 day hearing.
- Representing a government department in an unusual claim for disability discrimination and unfair dismissal, involving consideration of an order for re-instatement and a claim for substantial pension loss.
