Fri, 27 Mar 2020
At this time of unprecedented national public health emergency, we would like to update you as to how we will maintain our Employment Law services.
From the outset, we recognise that no matter who you act for in the Employment Tribunal your clients will be concerned and, in some respects, at heightened risk. We also appreciate that our professional clients will be facing extraordinary challenges.
Our aim is to assist all our clients throughout the outbreak. Each barrister in the No5 Chambers Employment Law Group is currently reviewing their operations to maximise and adapt the assistance we can provide to our clients.
Maintaining our service
Our clerking team are all now working remotely and can be contacted through 0845 210 5555 or Employment@no5.com
Each barrister in the Group is now able to work remotely and all members of the Group are able to attend conferences by telephone and, in most cases, video conference such as Facetime, Skype Business and Zoom. Likewise, to assist our clients, our clerks are happy to arrange and provide a video conferencing platform for:
- round table meetings;
- mediations;
- pre-hearing discussions/negotiations
Each of our barristers will do their utmost to meet their current Employment Tribunal commitments and to work with our clients to allow us to case manage cases safely and appropriately. Likewise, we are committed to providing appropriately experienced and qualified counsel in the event of:
- a barrister being required to undertake public or judicial duties on a full-time basis;
- a barrister being ill or being required to undertake shielding.
Extending our service
In the last week we have already seen the nature of our practice shift. There is an increase in potential claims (for example unlawful deduction of wages, and lay offs in breach of contract), and the need to advise on changes to rules on sick pay entitlement and home working.
To meet this increased demand, the Employment Group has agreed to:
- actively encourage Judicial Mediation in appropriate cases;
- ensure that members of the Group are available and able to respond quickly to urgent instructions including drafting and advice. Our working hours will be flexible to meet the change in demand and working patterns;
- work closely with the clerking team to make sure that cases are triaged and dealt with by suitably experienced counsel;
- make counsel available to be seconded to our clients to ease the burden.
We wish all our clients, colleagues and friends our best wishes during this trying time. Please let us know how we may help.
Yours sincerely,
Mugni Islam-Choudhury
MIC@no5.com
Head of the Employment Law Group
Naomi Owen
NO@no5.com
Deputy Head of the Employment Law Group
Martin Ellis
MartinE@no5.com
Practice Director, Employment Law Group
