James Major

Full Profile

He has extensive experience of advising clients on the handling of all types of employment claims, including the most complex discrimination and whistleblowing claims in the Employment Tribunal and disputes in the High Court. His projects and transactional work covers the employment aspects of mergers, acquisitions, business transfers, outsourcings and advice on various corporate structures (including start-up companies, LLPs and partnerships). He also regularly advises clients on workplace issues, including disciplinary and grievance procedures, managing redundancy programmes, handling long-term absence and performance issues and other employee relations issues.

James advises clients in a range of sectors, including retail and consumer, professional practices, publishing, insurance, financial services and the public sector. He is recommended in Chambers & Partners, who say "he is excellent; he's very bright, very hands-on, very calm under pressure and a pleasure to work with. He's a really good employment lawyer" (2021).

He frequently speaks at conferences and seminars on employment law matters and has assisted a number of clients put together training sessions for their staff on a number of topics, including discrimination issues. James is also a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.

Experience

• Handling a substantial number of Employment Tribunal claims (approximately 40 in the last 12 months), including claims for unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing and equal pay. A number of these claims have been successfully defended at a full Hearing and, in some cases, with costs awards in favour of our clients
• Advising on the defence of a number of high-value Employment Tribunal claims for clients in the insurance, professional practices and financial services sectors, including the recent defence of a large discrimination and equal pay claim
• Handling High Court disputes concerning alleged breaches of contract, breaches of restrictive covenants and breaches of confidentiality, including securing an injunction for a client regarding the misuse of confidential information
• Advising on the employment aspects of a number of share acquisitions and business transfers, including the acquisition of a new brand for a retail client and the subsequent integration issues
• Advising on the employment and partnership aspects of the establishment of a new LLP structure for a client in the insurance industry
• Advising a retail client on handling a number of disciplinary procedures and related appeals arising out of derogatory and unpleasant posts on a social media website concerning colleagues
• Advising a number of clients on reorganisations and redundancy programmes, including conducting collective consultation. This has recently included a nationwide redundancy programme affecting over 300 employees