Employment lawyer (specifically maternity)

[Bonfire2010]

Can anyone recommend a good employment lawyer? I need someone to review a compromise agreement as have just been told (this morning) that my role is likely to be made redundant, and as I am coming to the end of my current maternity leave it would be useful to have someone with some maternity/legal expertise.

[alfie]

In a similar situation I used Joanna Wade who was brilliant but, rather unhelpfully, now turns out to have left practice to be a judge! However, you could try her old firm - Leigh Day - and see if anyone else there can help. One of her colleagues acted for a friend of mine who had a particularly horrible departure from a firm while on ML and I seem to recall she got some good advice from them and wasn't billed for unecessary work. Hope that helps.

[Bonfire2010]

Thanks alfie.

[millie42]

I can also recommend Caroline Fallon from Lawrence Graham who I have used in the past! She is very good though not cheap but the cost of independent advice would usually be met by your current employers. Good luck!

[kemurf]

Your firm should be contributing to the cost of independent legal advice where they offer you a compromise agreement - check with them if this is not already happening. Make sure the cost of all your benefits (healthcare, gym membership etc) are included in the compromise. This is often done up until the point of the end of your employment but sometimes it can be negotiated beyond. Good luck, it can be a horrible time and I hope some good comes out of it for you.

[Bishberro]

Hi - I was recently in the same position so you have my sympathies. Just wanted to say that you're often entitled to free legal advice through your house insurance. I'd never even noticed this and we don't have a particularly fancy policy but we were covered and they had a helpline you could ring. Might be a good starting point.

[sian]

Camilla Palmer is at Leigh Day and used to be in partnership with Joanna Wade before she became an EJ. Camila is the expert on maternity issues.

[Bonfire2010]

Thanks all, will follow up your recommendations as things progress. Not a good time - my son is starting nursery on Monday and I was due back to work in 4 weeks :(