IEL Elite

Overview

Travers Smith’s sought-after employer-side offering is led by Ed Mills in London.

The group draws praise for its international approach, which sees it attract work from foreign firms requiring assistance with multi-jurisdictional matters. In particular, the group is well-versed in assisting US clients with global workforce issues.

In the UK, we use Ed Mills and his team – I really like the way they deal with clients. Would highly recommend.

Travers Smith in 2022 joined the Employment Law Alliance network as its member for England and Wales, further strengthening its global reach.

Specialisms

The firm offers complete coverage of issues impacting contemporary workforces. In particular, the team has significant prowess in workplace investigations, and notably #MeToo-related claims. This includes advising on initial investigations through to representing impacted employers in court.

For example, a team led by partner Adam Wyman advised a listed technology business on an investigation and subsequent grievance process after a senior executive was accused of sexual harassment.

A further example of the team’s expertise in this area was its advice to a food production and distribution company on a highly sensitive fact-finding investigation. The investigation was triggered after employees filed several complaints against management and senior staff, which was followed by counter-claims alleging bullying and harassment.

The team's broader litigation practice encompasses a wide variety of disputes. For example, the group represented Virgin Active in a dispute relating to a pregnancy-related discrimination claim. Partner Alex Fisher led the advice on the claim, which the employment tribunal dismissed.

Another standout mandate was team members' work on a claim alleging race and associative disability discrimination, victimisation, and unlawful deduction of wages and dismissal. Mills led the defence for AIG Asset Management (Europe), which resulted in the withdrawal of the discrimination claim and only two minor counts of victimisation.

Other areas of expertise include assisting with the employment elements of corporate transactions. This experience and the firm’s commended international approach were leveraged in advice to Micro Focus International on the UK aspects of the sale of its archiving and risk management business, Digital Safe, to a private equity-backed electronic communications company. A team led by Tim Gilbert assisted with advising and supporting on the carve-out of the business across ten jurisdictions, and the transfer of around 500 employees across six jurisdictions.

In addition to employment law, the department comprises immigration experts and can draw the expertise of tax specialists when advising on social security and pensions matters. The department also supports its clients through the organisation of roundtable and training events, seminars, and mock tribunals.

Clients