Neil Ashley LL B (Essex)

“an employment specialist with wide experience of claimant and employer instructions” – Legal 500 2008

“the only difficulty with instructing him, is getting there first” – Legal 500 2009

 
Neil Ashley is the Head of the Employment Group at East Anglian Chambers and the only member of chambers whose practice comprises 100% employment work. He has practiced in this field for over 10 years. His approach is informal and hands-on, yet he has an attention to detail that makes him ideal for complex or document-heavy cases. As an advocate he is very well-liked by Employment Judges and EAT Judges alike, despite being well-known for his fearlessness in the Tribunal.

Neil is on the Bar Council Public Access Register and is therefore accredited to provide advice direct to companies, organisations and individuals under the Public Access Rules (for more information in this regard please contact his clerk gmulloy@ealaw.co.uk).

For respondents/employers

Neil has substantial experience acting for Respondents, particularly large employers such as local authorities at district and county level; the Police; the Fire Service; health trusts; airlines; and a number of blue-chip companies. His instructions for these clients have covered the entire range of non-contentious and contentious work.

On the non-contentious side Neil has advised upon and drafted the full range of contracts, service agreements, policies and procedures; advised upon the TUPE, redundancy and other employment law implications of mergers and acquisitions; advised upon single and group compromise agreements; and has guided both district and county councils in the implementation of the Single Status Agreement. Neil has developed a particular expertise in the field of equal pay and is currently representing a number of authorities in relation to hundreds of equal pay claims arising out of Single Status and Agenda for Change implementation.

On the contentious side Neil has defended employers in Tribunals throughout the United Kingdom as well as in the Employment Appeal Tribunal. Again, his contentious work covers the entire range of proceedings from straightforward unfair dismissal proceedings to complex and lengthy discrimination and protected disclosure claims. Neil’s practice has developed to give him particular expertise in these complex areas. Neil inspires considerable confidence in his clients and regularly appears in high-profile cases.

Neil is frequently praised by his Respondent clients for being ‘commercially-minded’ and having a ‘straightforward and highly strategic approach’ to problems. He is most frequently described as ‘devastating in cross-examination’. Please follow this link for testimonials from Neil’s Respondent solicitors/clients.
 

For claimants/employees

Neil also maintains a substantial Claimant practice, acting predominantly on instructions received from small to medium-sized local solicitors firms throughout East Anglia. In addition Neil regularly accepts direct Public Access work.

In both 2008 and 2009 Neil was successful in recovering over £1.5m in damages through discrimination claims alone. He has an excellent grasp of the mechanics of damages and is one of the few barristers to have recovered an award of £30,000 by way of injury to feelings since the Court of Appeal’s decision in Vento. Neil has a sympathetic and client-focused manner which makes him ideal for sensitive bullying, harassment and discrimination claims. Neil often appears in high profile discrimination claims in East Anglia.

Neil’s attention to detail and ‘devastating’ cross-examination skills make him an ideal choice for the more difficult cases where success depends upon uncovering bad faith or a conspiracy.  Please follow this link for testimonials from Neil’s claimant solicitors/clients.

Other services

Neil regularly provides training to both small and large employers on such topics as Equal Opportunities; Training for Investigators; Decision-making in Disciplinary/Dismissal Proceedings; and Understanding Tribunals. Neil is also able to offer bespoke training for employers on any area of employment law and this has led him, amongst other things, to script and present mock tribunals on such topics to facilitate learning and quality of experience.

Neil has also developed interactive decision-making checklists for use in disciplinary/dismissal proceedings to ensure that decision-makers are guided to sound and properly-reasoned decisions every time. These framework documents are in use within both private and public employers throughout England and Wales, including two county councils.

Neil additionally offers all solicitors and HR professionals free advice and guidance on both contentious and non-contentious matters by e-mail and telephone. Please contact him at neilashley@ealaw.co.uk for further information regarding training, his framework documents or his free advisory service.



Seminars:

2009 - Successful costs applications

 

2009 - Maximising (or minimising) the claim for remedy