Employment

Fountain Court members are instructed in high‑profile and demanding employment matters, combining detailed legal expertise with a strong understanding of commercial and organisational realities. Those practising in this field act for major public bodies and corporate clients, as well as senior managers, executives and directors facing sensitive and often career‑critical issues.

Fountain Court’s silks are particularly recognised for their ability to manage multi-jurisdictional employment disputes, restrictive covenant litigation, and high-stakes unfair dismissal claims where commercial and reputational considerations are paramount.

Our advocates appear in all relevant forums, including the Employment Tribunal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the High Court. We also have extensive experience in the appellate courts including the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

Instructions in High Court matters often involve strike action, industrial relations, restrictive covenants, fiduciary duties and confidentiality injunctions. Members have the flexibility and experience to work quickly, often at short notice, including in bringing and defending ‘springboard injunctions’. Our experience includes obtaining injunctions to prevent industrial action, as well acting in highly publicised disputes involving businesses across the transport, media, retail and public sectors.

Our employment work goes beyond contentious matters and our members regularly provide advisory services such as on individual employment contracts involving large classes of employees and collective labour law, employment tax and the National Minimum Wage. We have dealt with many business reorganisations, including those involving TUPE and large-scale redundancies. We are also skilled at obtaining injunctions to enforce post-termination contractual restrictions and confidentiality obligations.

Fountain Court is also regularly instructed to give advice and act in claims concerning statutory rights and particularly proceedings for public interest disclosure (including whistle-blowing-related matters), unfair dismissal and discrimination. Members regularly advise on confidential and sensitive matters including those involving allegations of inappropriate conduct, harassment and victimisation.

Our work includes cases relating to:

• Contract disputes
• Discrimination and victimisation
• Industrial action
• Regulatory disputes
• Restrictive covenants
• Tax and benefits
• Team moves
• Unfair dismissal
• Whistle-blowing
• Workplace harassment