Robert Vernon

Year of Call: 2000
Clerk: Michael Lieberman

Robert is a specialist employment law practitioner and can act for both Claimants and Respondents. He has a wealth of experience and has acted for all levels of employees, including company directors.  His respondent clients have included Local Authorities, solicitors’ firms, various medical practices and a national vehicle dealership in addition to numerous SMEs. In appropriate cases, he accepts instructions under the Bar Council's Public Access Scheme.  Robert also sits as a Fee-Paid Employment Judge in the Midlands (East) region.

He has extensive experience of all aspects of employment work including unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, redundancy, discrimination, breach of contract, wages claims and TUPE. An accomplished tribunal advocate, he is also regularly instructed to provide tactical advice to claimants and respondents in relation to a wide range of employment-related issues. He has also advised and represented parties in relation to claims for breach of contract and restraint of trade in the county court.

Robert recognises the need to offer clients a full range of employment law services, and is able to provide services including:

• Drafting or reviewing contracts of employment and staff handbooks
• Advising on settlement agreements
• Carrying out internal disciplinary investigations
• Representation at internal disciplinary hearings
• Advice on all aspects of proposed or ongoing legal proceedings in the Employment Tribunal or County Court
• Preparation of court and Tribunal documents (e.g. ET1, ET3, Statements of Case, schedules of loss)
• Representation at Court and Tribunal hearings in any location
• Assistance with/representation at mediations, including Judicial Mediations in the Employment Tribunal

Robert is also able to provide training seminars to professional or lay clients and is happy to prepare bespoke training sessions on request.

Recommendations

Robert has been recommended in the field of employment work by the Legal 500 every year for the last 6 years which says he provides “superb analysis of complex issues” and is “extremely bright” and “excellent with clients” (Legal 500 2015). 

He is also recommended by Chambers UK 2017, which says ""He is very personable, knowledgeable, authoritative and very effective in handling cross-examinations." "He is a good advocate who is good with clients."

The 2016 edition says that “he has a good style about him and can build up a nice relationship with the client.  He presents himself well before the tribunal and is very knowledgeable and experienced”.  He has previously been recommended as a "sensitive heavyweight lawyer" and a "skilled draftsman" (Chambers UK, 2013).  

Robert is particularly recommended for “sensitive disability discrimination cases” (Legal 500, 2011).

Memberships

Employment Lawyers’ Association

Employment Law Bar Association

Appointments

Fee-Paid Employment Judge (Midlands (East) Region) (2013)

Recent cases

• Advising senior solicitor re: potential whistleblowing-related constructive dismissal and detriment claim
• Advising two senior nurse managers in relation to constructive dismissal claims against a partnership of General Practitioners
• Advising and representing a Local Authority in relation to a multiple claimant holiday pay claim involving 13 claimants
• Representing a University at a 7-day Tribunal hearing successfully defending multiple allegations of race discrimination made by a lecturer spanning a number of years
• Representing a charity at a 6-day Tribunal hearing successfully defending numerous allegations including whistleblowing-related detriments and dismissal, unfair dismissal, breach of contract and unlawful deductions from wages
• Represented a firm of solicitors in successfully resisting claims of discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation
• Advised and represented a school and Local Authority in relation to claims of unfair dismissal and gender reassignment discrimination