A seasoned employment lawyer and HR professional, Jennifer brings over two decades of experience in exceptional legal counsel and strategic HR expertise for both international and domestic clients across all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law. Her diverse background, which includes international legal practice, entrepreneurial endeavours, and executive coaching/mentoring, uniquely positions her as a valuable asset in tackling employment matters and disputes.
In her legal practice, Jennifer is known for taking a client centred approach and delivering results-driven advice and creative solutions to her clients people management challenges. Working closely with Boards, HR and in house legal teams, clients consistently praise her tenacity and the quality of her advice. Jennifer has built a robust portfolio of businesses that have relied on her expertise throughout her legal career.
Her extensive experience encompasses litigating multi-party equal pay and discrimination cases, advising on complex matters such as industrial relations, senior executive exits, restrictive covenants, global organisational change, strategic people and design management, facilitating mergers and acquisitions, and her specialism, TUPE.
In addition to being a Partner at Spencer West, Jennifer maintains her own HR consultancy where her team offers a range of HR solutions for business. Jennifer’s position at Spencer West allows her to seamlessly expand the offering to her clients for the provision of legal advice.
Experience
- Advised start-up companies on best practice employment documentation and policies.
- Advising Angel Investors in respect of employment law-related matters.
- Advised global companies on ad-hoc employment issues (including remote working, diversity and inclusion, whistleblowing).
- Supporting and advised companies headquartered across the globe in respect of employment law implications of setting up and maintaining UK divisions.
- Provided strategic advice and legal support on matters ranging from TUPE, organisational change management, collective redundancy and high value international mergers and acquisitions.
- Working with client companies in strategic HR planning and providing coaching and mentoring for senior leadership team.
- Provided legal advice and support in contractual dispute with prominent international film company.
- Represented applicants on a class action for discrimination against UK statutory body.
- Defended national company class action claim for Equal pay.
- Advised clients in the education sector in respect of union recognition and proposed strike action.
- Developing internal people management policies and procedures including Appraisal systems. Providing training and support in respect of the implementation of policies and procedures.
- Advising on and supporting in the management of data breaches and reporting obligations.
Areas of expertise
- All aspects of employment law, across multiple sectors.
- Certified Coach and Mentor.
- Resolving workplace disputes at all levels of the business, including advising on complex disciplinary and grievance processes.
- Business transfers such as TUPE transfers.
- Advising business re-organisation, and inter-group transfers.
- Mergers and acquisitions.
- Advising in respect of discrimination, equal pay, and whistleblowing allegations and claims.
- Negotiating and drafting settlements for senior executives.
- Industrial (trade union) relations and negotiations.
- Advising and drafting directors’ contracts, and letters of engagement.
- Employment contracts and directors’ service agreements