Martin Searle Solicitors

Home › About Us › Meet The Team › Laura Donnelly

Laura Donnelly

Associate Solicitor

“I advise employers and employees on a wide range of employment issues. I enjoy complicated discrimination cases, particularly disability discrimination and pregnancy and maternity issues.”

Intro

I am an experienced Employment Law solicitor based at our Brighton and Haywards Heath offices. I assist both employers and employees with all employment issues.

Expertise

I have particular expertise in:

Negotiating Settlement Agreements
Bringing and defending Employment Tribunal claims
All types of workplace discrimination, particularly pregnancy and maternity discrimination and disability discrimination
Director exits and disputes
Drafting employment contracts, policies and procedures
Advising on reorganisation and redundancy processes
Assisting with grievance and disciplinary processes
Unfair dismissal and constructive dismissal

Clients

My employer clients include local and national businesses and charities. I represent a full range of employees from junior level up to senior executives, directors and shareholders. I work hard to achieve the best possible outcomes for my clients. I work on cases funded by legal expenses insurance as well as those that are privately funded.

I am also involved in providing pro-bono work for charities and voluntary organisations through our community engagement programme.

Recent highlights

Acting on behalf of Employees:

Negotiating various Settlement Agreements for employees, including assisting employees to raise grievances to encourage or increase settlement offers and negotiating to reduce the scope of existing post-termination restrictions.
Winning a difficult race discrimination claim against a multi-national employer and achieving a substantial injury to feelings award.
Winning an Unfair Dismissal claim for a Director level employee dismissed for alleged gross misconduct, achieving the maximum Compensatory Award and securing “good leaver” status in respect of his shares.
Dealing with a complicated Employment Tribunal claim for unfair constructive dismissal, disability discrimination and victimisation, leading to a successful settlement following mediation.
Negotiating a successful settlement and exit for a co-owner and Director (including sale of shares).

Acting on behalf of Employers:

Advising a local firm on how to performance manage an employee whose capability was being affected by their mental health disability, ensuring reasonable adjustments were considered and put in place.
Guiding an international company through making redundancies at their UK based subsidiary.
Assisting a manufacturing business to defend an Employment Tribunal claim for unfair constructive dismissal and achieving an early commercial settlement.
Advising a local business owner in relation to TUPE obligations on the purchase of an existing technology company.
Assisting various businesses to draft or update new employment contracts and Staff Handbooks to ensure they are up to date with legal requirements and necessary business protection.

Qualifications

I graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a 2:1 in 2008. After a year of working as a paralegal I completed the Legal Practice Course at the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice, graduating with a Distinction. I qualified as a Solicitor in September 2012.

I am a member of the Employment Lawyer’s Association.

Other experience

Before joining Martin Searle Solicitors as a specialist employment lawyer, I worked for a commercial firm where I also practiced in property law.

I have volunteered at the Citizens Advice Bureau, providing initial advice to members of the community in relation to employment, housing and debt problems.

I have a life too

In my spare time enjoy going for long walks and bike rides. I am also a big foodie and enjoy cooking. My favourite sport is skiing when I have the opportunity to go.

Get in touch with Laura

laura@ms-solicitors.co.uk Twitter Linked In