Shadia El Dardiry

Full Profile

Shadia is a Senior Associate in the Employment team in our London Office. She advises a diverse client base, with a particular focus on financial and professional service clients, as well as clients in the insurance and higher education sectors.  

Shadia has a strong track record in the employment tribunal defending discrimination and whistleblowing claims, and on a day-to-day basis advises on a range of ER issues, including complex grievances and disciplinary procedures, investigations, data subject access requests, restrictive covenants, whistleblowing, as well as ED&I issues.  

Alongside this, Shadia has expertise in partnership law, and has advised on a number of partner disputes and investigations.  

Having completed a secondment in-house, Shadia has first-hand insight into the issues faced by in-house counsel and HR teams, and tailors her advice accordingly.    

Shadia is part of the Employment Team’s Financial Services and Professional Services sector groups, as well as its Regulatory Campaign.   

Prior to joining the firm, Shadia worked at a highly ranked City law firm. 

Shadia speaks English, French, Italian, as well as conversational Arabic and Danish.    
 

Experience

Professional services

• Advised a law firm on exit and disciplinary considerations arising from the handling of historic allegations of misconduct 
• Advised a global law firm (as part of repeat instructions) in relation to a number of complaints relating to partners in various jurisdictions, including on subsequent exits
• Involved in an investigation regarding allegations against a senior individual in a professional services firm
• Advised a global accountancy firm on a complex grievance by a partner which included allegations of race discrimination 

Financial services

• Advised an asset management company on an interim injunction against a senior employee
• Carried out and advised on a cultural audit for an investment management firm 
• Advised in relation to philosophical belief and managing staff complaints about an employee’s twitter and social media posts

Insurance sector clients

• Successfully defended a race and disability discrimination, harassment and victimisation claim brought against a major insurer, obtaining a costs award for the client  
• Advised a client on the highly confidential exit of its CEO, and on subsequent restructure of its staffing structure and governance including regulatory considerations 
• Advised an insurer in relation to a complex grievance involving allegations of sexual harassment brought against a senior manager
• Advised a UK-insurer on an investigation into an anonymous whistleblowing complaint involving allegations against a number of senior managers, including on reporting obligations to the FCA and Lloyds   

Higher Education 

• Representing a leading UK university claim in defence of a whistleblowing claim  
• Advising a leading UK college in relation to the handling of numerous student complaints
• Advising a leading UK university in relation to internal statutory disciplinary procedures