Paula Kathrens

Paula is a partner in the Employment law team, advising key clients in both the public and private sectors including Welsh Government, further and higher education, health and social care, housing and the financial services sectors on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law. Paula is a supervisor of Employment Tribunal work amongst other matters.

Main area of practice

Paula has specific experience in advising clients in relation to employment related litigation at all levels on claims for unfair dismissal, sex, race, age, disability and other discrimination and high value whistleblowing claims. Paula also advises clients on restructures and reorganisations, procurement and TUPE. Paula regularly delivers training programmes and seminars for public and private sector organisations.

Significant experience

Health & Social Care

• Represented a Welsh NHS Trust in a complex and lengthy case involving the dismissal of a consultant, including categorisation of professional/person conduct issues, injunctive action in the High Court and Employment Tribunal proceedings for unfair dismissal, race discrimination, and breach of the Human Rights Act and breach of the Working Time Regulations.
• Advised a Local Health Board in its successful defence of multiple claims of disability discrimination, race discrimination, discrimination on the grounds of religious belief, unfair dismissal made by a consultant. The case also involved advising in relation to an NCAS assessment and subsequent GMC fitness to practice issues.
• Represented a Local Health Board in relation to a disability discrimination allegations and reasonable adjustments.

Education

• Paula led the team on the advice in the Further Education sector on mergers in the sector under the Welsh Government’s Transformation Agenda, including all aspects of legal due diligence, advice on strategy and structure of merger, staff consultation and complex TUPE issues and harmonisation matters post-merger.
• Paula has represented Higher Education establishments in relation to complex discrimination claims.

Social Housing

• Paula has advised a number of social housing clients on all employment aspects arising on housing stock transfers from Local Authorities, including consultation, harmonisation and equal pay.
• Paula has advised an RSL on group structures and employment issues arising from inter group working, non-registered subsidiaries, including secondment advice and advice on shared staff. Advice also covered ensuring compliance with Welsh Government Housing Circulars.

Interests

Paula is the non-executive director of Swansea Building Society.

Expertise

• Employment, Pensions & Immigration
• Employment
• Employment Tribunals
• Education
• Social Housing

Career

Paula completed her LL.B Law and Politics degree at Cardiff University before completing her Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice Distinction.  Paula qualified as a solicitor in 1997.