Robert Davies joined Walbrook Law as a consultant in September 2016.
Robert has specialised in providing non-contentious and contentious employment law advice for private and public sector clients since qualifying as a solicitor in 1995. Throughout his career he has had considerable experience of working efficiently and effectively with employer and employee clients and liaising with personnel of all levels of seniority such as General Counsel, Directors of Human Resources, Board Members and individual clients, particularly in the financial services, engineering and FM sectors.
Since joining Clifford Chance LLP from Beachcroft Stanleys in 1997, becoming a Partner in 2002, and subsequently as a partner in the London employment law teams of Dundas & Wilson from 2008 – 2014 and CMS from 2014 – 2016 his principal areas of work have included:
• Outsourcings and TUPE transfers, particularly in relation to back and middle office outsourcings in the financial services sector acting for customers and suppliers and acting on an extensive number of Project Finance/PFI/PPP projects including pathfinder projects concerning the health, defence and local government sectors
• The employment law aspects of M&A transactions including share sales and business sales ranging from due diligence, the conduct of information and consultation processes with employee representatives, trade unions and works councils, and advising companies and senior management on the introduction of new service agreements and remuneration arrangements for main board directors
• Employment tribunal litigation particularly defending and resolving claims brought against financial services and engineering clients regarding allegations of whistleblowing and discrimination,
• Advising employers and Insolvency Practitioners on the practical management of collective dismissals
Robert has had significant involvement with charities and SMEs, including on a pro bono basis, with a recent emphasis on smaller charities engaged in international development and on disability, age and religious discrimination related issues. Such experience enables him to gain different insights and influence creative approaches in all aspects of internal and external dispute resolution. His experience in the charity and SME sectors is bolstered by serving as a trustee of Shape, a disability-led arts charity, since 2010.
Robert has been a member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) Legislative and Policy Committee since 2009 and has led and participated in ELA’s response to Government consultation exercises regarding proposed and revised employment legislation, ranging from trade union matters to the Agency Worker Regulations. He has also served as a member of ELA’s International Committee; and has spoken at ELA and SMi Conferences on various employment law topics as well as delivering internal training for clients via seminars and round-table discussions.
Robert’s publications include: co-authorship of the Employment and Pensions Chapter of Butterworth’s PFI Manual,; contributions to Croner’s Discrimination Law; PLC practice notes on outsourcing and asset sales; and articles for a range of journals and newspapers such as the Times Online, FT Adviser, Utilities Weekly and Personnel Today.
Chambers has described Robert as “…a top-notch practitioner…” (2014) and has noted that he is “…praised for having really good current market knowledge” (2015) and also “… well known for his contributions to the field of employment law, and is particularly knowledgeable on outsourcing and TUPE issues.”