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Employment Law

employment law

We have an unrivalled standing across Scotland's tribunals and courts.

Simpson & Marwick is Scotland's premier dispute resolution legal practice. With employment law specialists operating from our offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow we have national coverage and unrivalled standing across Scotland's tribunals and courts at all levels, providing the highest quality of advice and representation. We offer the best of Scotland's legal tradition of cutting edge thinking directing that towards the speedy and effective resolution of disputes. We take pride in being cost effective and thoroughly client focussed in our work.

We assist clients large and small, from Shetland to Sark.

Simpson & Marwick provide the full range of employment law services to business clients and private individuals. The firm's employment law team provide a resolution focussed approach to the provision of legal services. We are routinely instructed to undertake employment disputes in Employment Tribunals and the Employment Appeal Tribunal throughout the United Kingdom.

We are consulted by a wide range of clients ranging from multi-national plc companies, through smaller privately owned and owner-managed companies, SME's, public sector organisations and private individuals. With a strong presence in each of our four Scottish offices we handle cases for clients based throughout the United Kingdom; literally from Shetland to the Channel Islands.

We also act for many clients in the oil and gas industry and have built up particular expertise in that sector, including advising on jurisdictional issues, TUPE and offshore employment law issues.

We are experts, but always practical.

Whoever our client is, our aim is always, first and foremost, to help our clients avoid disputes, through the provision of practical, expert advice. When our dispute resolution service is required, we bring our firm's collective wealth of experience in dispute resolution to the fore, to our clients' benefit.

Employment Law Blog

Our Employment Law blog offers insight and comment on this varied and ever evolving area of the law.

Read our blog posts

Contact

Please see our table below to contact one of our experts in Employment Law.

Partners

Sandy Kemp Partner Aberdeen, London
David Hughes Partner Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow
Chris Phillips Partner Edinburgh
Robert King Partner Glasgow
Alan Cowan Partner Edinburgh, London
Michael Jones QC Partner Edinburgh

Associates

Deborah Miller Associate Dundee
Lynne Macfarlane Associate Glasgow

Consultants

Douglas Brodie Consultant Edinburgh

Forthcoming events

Feb

14

Employment Law - Breakfast Consultation Series

Tuesday 14 Feb, 2012

Edinburgh,Dundee,Aberdeen,Glasgow

Feb

23

Employment Law Exchange Forum (Glasgow) February 2012

Thursday 23 Feb, 2012

Radisson Blu Hotel, Argyle Street, Glasgow

Latest News

14 February, 2012

Simpson & Marwick announce Signet Accreditation in Employment Law Team

Solicitor Robert Phillips secures coveted benchmark. Robert Phillips, Solicitor in Simpson & Marwick's Employment Department, has recently been awarded the Signet Accreditation in Employment Law at a prestigious ceremony in the Signet Library on Wednesday

14 February, 2012

Claims of Unfair Dismissal in the UK by Employees of Foreign Employers Who Work Abroad?

The territorial scope of the Employment Rights Act 1996 has been the subject of litigation in the highest courts in the UK for some years. The Act is silent on its geographical

1 February, 2012

"Blood from a Stone?"

The financial cost and consequences of Tribunal proceedings are currently under the Government's microscope as it consults interested parties on the proposed introduction of a system of fees that will be payable by

23 January, 2012

Under the Tribunal’s Microscope: Failures in Investigations

Investigations are the foundation of a fair dismissal procedure.  One recent example of a flawed investigation going under the Tribunal's microscope is Industrial and Municipal Projects Ltd v Boyle.  In that case, serious flaws

19 January, 2012

New Discussion Vetting Applicants Through Social Media

An article has suggested that employers who use social media sites like facebook and twitter for information about potential employees could be at risk of a legal action, that is not my

21 December, 2011

New Compensation Limits for 2012

New compensation limits have been confirmed by the Government and will take effect in February 2012. The maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal will rise to £72,300, from the current maximum of £68,400.

8 November, 2011

In the age of employment...

Recent statistics suggest that the age demographics of the workforce in Scotland may be changing. In particular, the number of 18 - 24 year olds claiming job-seekers allowance has doubled in many local

26 September, 2011

Confused by rules on holiday pay and sickness absence?

There have been a number of cases decided at both UK and European level over recent times leaving many confused about the interaction between holiday pay and sickness absence.  One of the issues

22 September, 2011

A case... not to be dismissed

It can be tempting for an employer, when hearing that their employee who is off on sick leave is working for another employer, to automatically jump to the conclusion that the employee

8 September, 2011

Employment Law Launch Exchange Blog

Simpson & Marwick Employment team are delighted to launch our Employment Law Exchange Blog.  This forum is dedicated to stimulating discussions around practical issues and future insights with fellow peers in our field.

16 February, 2012

Working outside the UK

The territorial scope of the protections available for being unfairly dismissed contained in Section 94(1) of the Employment RightsAct 1996 have been a matter of some contention. The provisions in Section 94(1) of

17 January, 2012

Employment Law - The Team

Simpson & Marwick's employment law team now has five partners following latest hires. Simpson & Marwick is delighted to announce the Partner appointments to our expanding Employment law team of Robert King from HBJ

7 December, 2011

Time Off for Holidays

The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of the employers in the case of Russell v Transocean. The unions had argued that holidays must always be taken from time that would otherwise be

14 November, 2011

Long Term Sickness Absence & Payment for Annual Leave

When is an employee on long-term sickness absence entitled to be paid for annual leave? This is an area of law where there continues to be confusion - not only among HR professionals

29 September, 2011

Employment Law Changes

Three significant changes to employment law come into effect on 1 October. Agency Workers Regulations These Regulations will come into force on 1 October 2011. This is an important change which those using agency

22 September, 2011

Varying Terms & Conditions of Employment

Last week, the Employment Appeal Tribunal ('EAT') shed light on the steps an employer can take when seeking to vary 470 staff contracts, and the impact this has on any subsequent dismissal