An established specialist in contentious employment law, Robert is dual qualified as a solicitor in Scotland and in England and Wales and was admitted as a Solicitor Advocate with rights of audience in the higher courts in July 2013.
Robert is an employment lawyer in our Glasgow office. Robert qualified as a solicitor in Scotland in 1988 and gained dual qualification in England and Wales in 1994. He was accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a Specialist in Employment Law in 2009 and as a Specialist in Discrimination Law in 2015. He was also admitted as a Solicitor Advocate with Higher Rights of Audience in 2013.
In the earlier part of his career Robert was one of BT's in house legal advisers in Scotland dealing with all its contentious litigation. During this time he developed a specialism in employment law; conducting numerous Tribunal hearings throughout the UK in cases involving unfair dismissal, discrimination, breach of contract and employment status as well as taking several cases to the EAT. Since leaving BT in 2006, Robert has specialised in contentious employment law.
In addition to employment law, Robert is also experienced in the professional regulatory field and in 2021 the Scottish Social Services Council appointed him as a Legally Qualified Chair on its Fitness to Practise panels. Robert was also accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a Specialist in Regulation of Professional Conduct Law in 2022.
Expérience
Representing a Call Centre in its appeal against an HMRC National Minimum Wage Order, which raised novel questions relating to Employment Tribunal procedure.
Defending a Media Company in an unfair dismissal claim involving complex arguments on the application of the Service Provision Change rules in TUPE 2006.
Representing a firm of house building contractors in a dispute over the employment status of a long term contractor.
Representing a high profile children's charity in its defence of an employee's claims of sexual harassment, victimisation and disability discrimination.
Representing a major telecommunications company in its defence of a discrimination and unfair dismissal claim by a former employee dismissed for failing to provide evidence of his legal entitlement to work in the UK.
Representing Police Scotland in several high profile discrimination and whistleblowing claims
Representing Police Scotland in misconduct appeals before the Police Appeals Tribunal