Jonathan Walsh

Significant Experience

• Leading the team who secured (and thereafter retained) a contract with a Local Authority to represent the approx. 60 schools within its area. He advised and supported schools in all types of matters including: disciplinaries and grievances, schoolteachers’ pay and conditions and industrial action, schools’ duties and responsibilities including in relation to pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) and compliance with relevant guidance and equality duties, safeguarding and child protection obligations, health and safety, parental complaints, representing schools in defending employment tribunal claims (including conducting advocacy), and (at the time) the challenges faced by schools as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Represented a voluntary aided school in complex disability discrimination litigation which culminated in an 18-day final hearing in the Employment Tribunal and subsequent proceedings before the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
• Supported a university for many years with general employment advice with regards to grievance issues, holiday pay, and race and disability discrimination allegations. Have also reviewed the standby and on call policy and provided associated advice on compensatory rest, updated contracts of employment to reflect recruitment and retention premia, prepared and negotiated settlement agreements, voluntary release schemes and pension strain payments, and advised on dealing with a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
• Represented over 12,000 members of one of the UK’s largest member organisation bodies in claims brought across all UK jurisdictions related to the 2015 public sector pension changes and the discriminatory impact of the transitional provisions which were implemented.
• Successfully represented the former Chief Medical Officer for the Isle of Man in claims of whistleblowing detriment and automatic unfair dismissal which arose from decision made in relation to the island’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Represented a Welsh further education college in the successful conclusion of various complex ET claims.
• Advised and supported a Welsh university in relation to all manner of HR and employment law issues. This has included providing strategic advice in relation to TUPE implications of outsourcing the work of a particular department; providing advice in relation to structuring a benefit and reward policy; providing advice on the implementation of a voluntary exit scheme, which included complex pension considerations; providing continued support in relation to internal processes, to include advice in relation to a complex grievance and disciplinary process which stemmed from a whistleblowing complaint.
• Supported universities in handling of student complaints, to include matters before the Office of the Independent Adjudicator.
• Advised the Solicitors Regulation Authority in relation to internal policies and procedures.
• Advised American, Malaysian and Australian companies as to UK contracts of employment and policies.
• Advised a worldwide digital company as to the exit of a director from a joint UK and American contract of employment.