Meet the martin searle solicitors Legal Team

Fiona Martin

Director
email Fiona Martin

Fiona has acted for both small and large employers across a range of contentious and non-contentious employment issues including large scale business reorganisation redundancy programmes. She has extensive experience of training on employment issues having run courses in partnership with ACAS, Business Link and Disability Equals Business.

Since qualifying in 1996, Fiona has gained considerable experience of successfully bringing and defending claims in the courts and employment tribunals. She is a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association and has particular expertise in advising on all types of discrimination in the workplace cases.

Fiona is the supervisor for the Legal Services Commission funded work under martin searle solicitors’ employment law specialist quality mark. She is currently a member of the Steering Committee for Leaders, a Consulting Group set up to promote and encourage ethical and diverse recruitment practices among employers in Brighton and Hove.

Fiona is the director in charge of marketing the firm. She manages the Croydon office and also works from the Brighton office. Outside of work Fiona enjoys reading, travelling and partying.

Cate Searle

Finance Director and Practice Manager
email Cate Searle

Cate has skilfully managed a broad range of housing law and welfare benefit cases for more than 10 years and has considerable experience representing clients who have disabilities, mental health problems or caring responsibilities. Cate’s work in these specialist areas has succeeded in winning martin searle solicitors a Legal Services Commission Specialist Quality Mark in both housing law and community care law

Cate also provides training and advice for voluntary and statutory organisations and trains other solicitors including Continuing Professional Development.Cate’s involvement in community care began at Brighton Health Authority where she worked with people with learning difficulties.

After completing her legal training, she ran an advice and advocacy service at Horton Hospital, Surrey, for patients detained under the Mental Health Act. Cate was also previously involved in a mental health project for Islington People’s Rights.

Cate’s interests outside of work include cycling, reading and European cinema.

Marsha Thompson

Solicitor
email Marsha Thompson

Marsha joined martin searle solicitors as a trainee solicitor in January 2007 and started her employment law training seat in August 2007. She gained significant practical experience in employment law managing her own caseload under supervision until she qualified as a solicitor in August 2008. Marsha moved to the new office in her home town of Croydon in January 2009.

Marsha has successfully acted for a number of employees and employers in both contentious and non-contentious matters. She particularly enjoys drafting contracts and policies for businesses and also bringing and defending discrimination claims.

Marsha contributes to the firm’s community involvement by providing a legal advice surgery at the Employment Support Retraining Agency (ESRA) in Redhill.

Marsha is an active member of the Black Solicitors Network (BSN) which promotes ethnic diversity in the legal profession. In conjunction with the BSN, Marsha has offered free careers advice to prospective trainees searching for training contracts.

Marsha is also a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.

Outside of work Marsha enjoys travelling, eating out and listening to music. She also plays the piano and has a love of dance having studied at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London for seven years.

Wendy Smith

Employment Law Solicitor
email Wendy Smith

Wendy joined martin searle solicitors as an employment law solicitor in 2009. With many years’ experience advising on all aspects of employment law, Wendy has acted for a wide range of employers. Wendy also delivers bespoke employment law training to HR professionals and managers.

A graduate of the University of Southampton, Wendy studied for her legal practise exams at the College of Law, Chester. She qualified with Cripps Harries Hall in Tunbridge Wells in 1997. Wendy also successfully completed an Employment Law Masters, achieving a distinction, at the University of Surrey in 2009.

Wendy has a friendly and professional approach, as well as an in-depth understanding of employment law. Clients regularly comment on Wendy’s ability to provide practical advice in a user-friendly way. Wendy can help with the full range of employment law issues, and has particular expertise in defending claims and drafting contracts and policies, director’s service agreements, restrictive covenants and confidentiality clauses.

Wendy has also volunteered as a legal adviser with the BPP Pro Bono Centre. The project benefits members of the community who may not otherwise have access to legal advice. Wendy is also an LEA governor with Hertford Infant and Nursery School in Brighton.

In her spare time, Wendy enjoys cycling, sailing, skiing and running. She is also an avid reader of biographies and a member of a Brighton book group.

Stuart Markless

Employment Law Caseworker
email Stuart Markless

Stuart joined martin searle solicitors as an employment law caseworker in June 2008.

Before joining the firm Stuart worked as a fee earner in a firm of trade union solicitors in London.

Stuart’s earlier career was in the voluntary sector where he spent many years employed in various Citizens Advice Bureaux and in a Law Centre. During this time Stuart concentrated on claimants’ dismissal and workplace discrimination cases.

Stuart has represented claimants in sex, race, disability, age and sexual orientation discrimination cases. He has also successfully represented in unfair dismissal claims relating to whistleblowing, health and safety, and on right to dependant leave grounds.

Outside of work Stuart enjoys football, cycling and table tennis.