Blake Morgan LLP provides ‘commercial and practical advice’ to private and public sector clients across a range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters. ‘Outstanding’ team head Joanne Davies excels in handling corporate support, be it on employment due diligence pursuant to M&A handled by the firm or TUPE issues associated with corporate transactions and group reorganisations. Davies also handles discrete ad-hoc advisory matters, including on employment issues affecting employers in highly regulated sectors, including social care. Paula Kathrens provides ‘sound and practical advice’ to public and private sector clients, including advice to financial services entities, defending NHS Wales in employment litigation, and acting for social housing clients across a myriad employment issues. The team is rounded out at a partner level by the ‘commercially astute’ Matthew Smith, who handles both contentious and non-contentious work for education, retail and healthcare clients.

The ‘high performing’ team at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP has the strength-in-depth to handle a tremendous volume and range of contentious and non-contentious matters for a plethora of large UK-based global organisations. The size of the team affords it the ability to have a strong degree of individual partner specialisms, both in workstream and industry focus. The ‘exceptionally knowledgeable and pragmatic’ Thomas Player has a core focus on collective employment/industrial relations matters, work which often involves multi-jurisdictional aspects, including negotiating European Works Council structures in foreign jurisdictions alongside international colleagues from other network offices. Player also regularly advises on complex international restructuring projects, as does team head Tom Bray as part of his broad transaction support offering. In addition, Bray has deep knowledge of the employment issues impacting the aviation sector, including providing advice on change management and employee relations. The ‘highly talented’ Sally Isaacs maintains a market-leading equal pay practice, which continues to see her defending Morrisons supermarket against thousands of equal pay claims. Huw Jones also has equal pay expertise, which forms a part of his broad employment offering which includes a considerable volume of public sector work.

Lewis Silkin‘s Cardiff office provides ‘pragmatic and to the point’ advice across the gamut of ad-hoc and ongoing employment needs for a myriad national, international, and local employers. ‘Commercially astute’ team head and newly appointed firmwide chair Lucy Lewis is adept at defending employers in complex discrimination cases, as well as providing strategic guidance to companies on redundancies and restructurings. In addition to excelling at advising on large-scale international projects, Richard Moore also often works collaboratively with the office’s growing corporate team to provide vital transactional employment support, including with regard to TUPE implications of M&A transactions. At a non-partner level, both Neil Dite  and the ‘responsive and commercial’ Amy Nevins have flourishing reputations, with Nevins particularly noted for her expertise assisting companies on global mobility matters.

Strengthened by the arrival in February 2024 of Chris Aldridge  from Cheltenham-based firm BPE Solicitors LLP, Acuity Law‘s ‘very commercial’ three-partner team has the strength-in-depth to handle a wide range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters for a predominantly private sector client base. Claire Knowles combines her duties as managing partner with a thriving fee-earning practice that includes a myriad of high level strategic advice for businesses, including as it relates to workforce planning, redundancy processes and internal employment policies. The ‘very tactically sharp’ Juliette Franklin takes the lead on much of the contentious work and is very highly regarded by employers seeking to defend complex discrimination cases, in particular. Aldridge co-heads the team alongside Knowles and regularly collaborates with the corporate team to provide employment support on transactions led by them.

Darwin Gray LLP has the resources and expertise at all levels to effectively service clients on their employment needs, running the gamut from relatively commoditised staff handbook/contract-based work, through to highly strategic mandates. Under the leadership of Welsh-speaking partner Fflur Jones, the firm has a particular zeal for handling local/regional work and continues to be very successful in picking up work for public sector clients. Jones, who also spends time in the firm’s Bangor office, has cultivated a particularly strong employer client base in West and North Wales, and for litigation matters is very adept at advising employees, including on discrimination claims. The ‘commercially aware and very knowledgeable’  Damian Phillips is also very skilled at handling contentious employment matters for employees and employers, as well as having successfully developed a strong reputation in the sports field for rugby players and coaches, in particular. The ‘practical and pragmatic’ Owen John also has a very strong grounding in sports-related employment matters, and is a key member of the team that also includes senior associate Rachel Ford-Evans, who continues to develop a growing practice for employers in workplace investigations.

While it does handle some private sector work for an employer-focused client base, including financial services entities, Geldards LLP remains best known for its work in the public and third sectors. Team head Lowri Phillips is at the forefront of much of this, including her defence of numerous local authorities in equal pay claims. The ‘incredibly bright’ Helen Snow also excels in public sector work, including dealing with Chief Officer disciplinary and grievance processes and investigations. Joga Singh is more aligned to work in the private sector, and as well as continuing to develop a thriving business immigration offering, also regularly defends employers in employment law tribunal cases, including those relating to alleged discrimination.

Led by the vastly experienced Louise Price, Hugh James has excellent market traction among RSLs, public sector organisations and corporate employers, which are appreciative of the team’s versatility across a wide array of employment matters, ranging from TUPE advice and equal pay, through to data protection and general HR issues. As well as providing standalone advice to clients, the team also regularly collaborates with the firm’s market-leading corporate team to provide employment due diligence advice on M&A transactions led by them. On the contentious front, the ‘very professional and approachable’ Rhiannon Dale often provides the advocacy for employers defending against high-stakes claims brought before the employment tribunal, including those relating to whistleblowing and alleged discrimination.

Deeply embedded into the south Wales business ecosystem, Berry Smith remains very popular among SMEs and owner-managed businesses, in particular, as a result of the team’s ability to provide a nimble service on work ranging from day-to-day HR advisory matters, through to litigation and corporate support. ‘Exceptional’ team head Sarah Alford is pivotal to much of the workflow for corporates and public sector entities, work which she combines with some advice to senior executives on the negotiation of their severance packages. The ‘commercially oriented’ Michael Shutt regularly works alongside the firm’s corporate team to provide concomitant employment advice and is also adept at handling employment tribunal proceedings where he has achieved significant success in representing clients over disputes as to employment status.

Since the Cardiff office was established at the beginning of 2020, Harrison Clark Rickerbys‘ employment team has offered vital support to firmwide corporate clients as well as successfully establishing its own client base in the private and public sectors. ‘Business savvy’ team head Andrea Thomas excels in handling a range of primarily non-contentious advice, including on HR support, contract drafting, as well as providing the employment advice concomitant to M&A work handled by the corporate team. The ‘very experienced and seasoned’ Chris Mayers is vital to the group’s success on the contentious front, including handling a considerable amount of discrimination and whistleblowing claims for Police Federation members.

Cardiff-based employment boutique Morgan Denton Jones provides a ‘methodical and thoughtful’ service to employers and employees across a wide range of contentious and non-contentious matters, running the gamut from TUPE advice and advice on redundancy processes through to claimant and respondent work in the employment tribunal. As well as her private and public sector employer work, the ‘brilliant’ Jenny Jones also continues to be regularly sought out by senior executives within the banking and telecoms sectors to negotiate their settlement agreements. The ‘friendly, approachable and professional’ Mark Morgan is also recommended, while the firm was also recently enhanced by the arrival in September 2024 of ‘absolute star’ Kimberley Whalen-Blake from Cheltenham-based firm Hughes Paddison.

Generating a substantial amount of standalone advisory work as well as frequently partnering up with the firm’s corporate team to provide employment support on transactions they are leading on, the ‘nimble and responsive’ team at Morgan LaRoche is a popular choice for employers across a myriad contentious and non-contentious work. ‘Very experienced and knowledgeable’ Carmarthen-based team head Hannah Belton is adept at handling tribunal work for employers, including as respondents in discrimination claims. In Swansea, Sophie Ray provides corporate support advice and HR advisory work.

Slater and Gordon is best known for its work on behalf of an exclusively employee-focused client base bringing claims for a range of alleged employment law infractions, including with regard to unfair dismissals and various kinds of discrimination law breaches. Many of these instructions are from the firm’s union client base, where ‘tactically astute’ team head Sian Clarke has a particularly strong reputation, including on group claims relating to inducements to union members bypassing the collective bargaining process. Nayo Kirkpatrick also handles some union work as well as providing a considerable amount of advice to a growing roster of private clients, advising on both litigation and settlement agreement negotiations.

Led by vastly experienced practitioner Daniel Wilde, Harding Evans LLP advises local and national corporates across a myriad contentious and non-contentious issues, including on complex discrimination cases, and advice relating to redundancies and restructurings. Wilde also regularly handles work for individuals, including advice for sports personalities on contract negotiations.

Led out of Carmarthen by Carys Lodwick, the ‘approachable and knowledgeable’ team at Red Kite Law LLP provides ‘excellent client service’ to both employers and employees across a broad swathe of contentious and non-contentious matters. As well as providing standalone advice, clients also benefit from access to the firm’s employment and HR retainer service, providing a cost-effective service to SME employers, in particular.

Powys-based firm Harrisons Solicitors LLP has an excellent reputation among mid Wales-based businesses and individuals across a range of advisory and litigation matters. Team head Charlotte Powell-Jones is pivotal to much of the work, including on the provision of HR advice and contract handbook drafting for employers and negotiating/reviewing settlement agreements on behalf of employees.

Headed by well-established sole practitioner James Moss, boutique virtual Newport-based firm Slate Legal provides ‘clear and concise advice’ to local employers and employees across the gamut of contentious and non-contentious matters. Work includes advice on severance packages for executives, as well as employment contract and grievances/disciplinary advice to corporates.

Thompson Darwin Limited, based in Cardiff, is a boutique firm that provides ‘straightforward and direct advice’ to SMEs, start-ups, and larger companies, with employment advice provided on a standalone basis or through the firm’s monthly retainer service. Team leader Bethan Darwin regularly advises senior executives on the negotiation/reviewing of settlement agreements and excels at handling work at the intersection of corporate and employment law. David Thompson is also a key member of the team and continues to advise Scarlets Rugby across a wide-range of employment-related matters.