Biography
Su is a Partner in the Employment Team.
Su advises on all areas of employment law from recruitment to end of employment and beyond. Clients value her straight talking approach, honest assessments, understanding of their individual organisational cultures and responsiveness, which all lead her to becoming an extension of their internal team.
Su regularly works with organisations in both the private and public sector, supporting on outsourcing projects, corporate transactions and restructures. She has a particular interest in supporting clients in the tech and retail sectors and often advises on unusual contractual arrangements in the workplace and the implications of IR35.
In addition to her work for employers, Su has extensive experience in advising senior employees on exits, assisting with negotiating an appropriate exit package and smoothing what can be a difficult process.
Su is recognised in Legal 500 as a rising star and outside of Ashfords, has previously acted as governor and trustee of a Multi Academy Trust and currently sits as a Non Executive Director of a large swimming club.
Relevant experience
Large grocery technology business:
- Su leads a team of 10 lawyers providing comprehensive employment and immigration advice to this fast growing national grocery technology company. We have worked with the business to provide this advice via their online platform supplemented by telephone and virtual meetings as needed. These queries tend to be business as usual advice, but range from sickness absence, disciplinary and grievance processes, IR35 advice, right to work issues and contractual queries. We have now taken over conduct of many of their employment tribunal claims, a number of which are based on disability discrimination and long term sickness issues. We also provide pre recorded training webinars for this client.
Tech apprenticeship provider:
- Su has been supporting a tech apprenticeship provider with all employment law requirements since 2018. Over the past year, we have provided constant and supportive employment law and HR advice, embedding ourselves as part of their team. One Senior People Partner recently commented that “you are your team are the most responsive/ quickest legal partners I’ve ever worked with”. In addition to advising on the company’s rapidly growing staff population, we have added value by providing advice on business plans in relation to positive action initiatives for potential apprentices from refugee or less privileged backgrounds.
London Borough Council:
- Su advised a London Borough Council on a complex and longstanding dispute with the unions regarding back pay for London allowances and shift payments. A collective agreement is imminent and we are now working to assess the wider implications of this analysis across the Council. We have since been instructed to take on all overflow tribunal claims for the Council and to provide all support to the Council’s Schools HR Team during a period of extensive change.
Liquidator
- Su acted for the Liquidator of a specialist fee paying school that provided support for children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. The school faced financial difficulties just as the pandemic started, and following the unfortunate closure of the school, around 80 employees brought claims for unfair dismissal, unpaid wages, notice pay and a protective award. Su acted for the liquidator in this group litigation and showed her innovative and pragmatic response to a changing to maximise value for stakeholders. A collaborative and commercial approach achieved a very favourable settlement at the most appropriate stage of the litigation.
