Human Resources and Diversity

Public sector employers – and, by extension, those who provide services to the public - are more tightly constrained by legal and quasi-legal requirements than ever before.  Where the law ends, binding policy begins. In many areas the law itself no longer merely prohibits unequal treatment by public employers, it mandates the promotion of equality.  Meanwhile employees in the public sector are demonstrably quicker than those in the private sector to challenge their employers and to take legal action against them.  Our HR and Diversity group has a broad range of clients in central and local government and among independent public institutions.  Our lawyers’ expertise goes much wider than simply applying the law.  We have an in-depth understanding of the cultural and policy basis of HR practice in the public sector and a genuine sympathy with and interest in their businesses.  Besides preparing and conducting cases in the Employment Tribunal and courts, our lawyers offer in-house training to HR managers, advice on union recognition, TUPE, restructuring and redundancies and the provision of telephone helplines for immediate advice on problems as they arise.

The strength and breadth of our employment law service is what attracts and retains such clients as the Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the BBC, Highways Agency, Ofsted and Department of Work and Pensions.

For a confidential discussion of any issues in this area, without any obligation and free of charge, please contact Richard Kenyon on 020 7861 4000 or email richard.kenyon@ffw.com.

“Field Fisher Waterhouse has added Ofsted, the Association of Police Authorities and the Home Office to its burgeoning public sector practice, led by Richard Kenyon… The team also advised the BBC and Foreign & Commonwealth Office on the complex employment aspects of two major IT outsourcings.” - The Legal 500 (2005 Edition) - Employment