Call now on 0800 772 0791

Being faced with dismissal from work is an upsetting and stressful experience. Even if you know you have done nothing wrong, you can feel unfairly treated and victimised.

When things go wrong at work you need fast, clear legal advice. Keith will talk you through your situation to answer questions such as:

Do I have a case for unfair dismissal?

How should I appeal the dismissal?

Is my employer following the rules on dismissal?

What can I do to protect myself?

Keith will review any paperwork you have and then provide you with a fixed fee quote so you don’t have to worry about costs escalating. You will then be able to make an informed decision by comparing Keith’s quote to what he believes he can achieve for you.

How Keith can help you:

Clear advice on:
- Whether you have a case you are likely to win,
- How much money you are likely to be awarded by a Court or Employment Tribunal,
- What other orders you can ask the Tribunal to make.
Negotiating with your emplpoyer.
Representing you in Court,

By instructing an employment law barrister like Keith directly, instead of going to an employment law solicitor first, you can save up to half of the normal costs of bringing or defending a case. He represents Employers and Employees.

He represents employers and employees in claims including:

Unfair Dismissal (including Redundancy);
Constructive Unfair Dismissal;
Dismissal due to pregnancy;
Wrongful dismissal – Breach of Contract;
Workplace harassment;
Victimisation;
Discrimination (because of age, sex, race, sexual orientation, religion or disability);
Liability following transfer of undertakings (‘TUPE’ transfers);
Whistle-blowing claims;
Health & Safety and Union-related dismissals;
Unlawful deductions from Wages.

Employment Tribunals can be stressful, time-consuming and costly for both employee and employer.

Keith will guide you, step-by-step, through of the process of presenting your case – from completing the initial forms and documents to attending Court to argue your case on your behalf.

From over 20 years working as an employer, in large and small companies, he has extensive experience of management practices and of resolving employer – employee disputes.

Keith works as an employment law barrister throughout the UK from his offices in London, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol.

Call me on 0800 772 0791 or fill in the contact form.

What my Clients say….

“Keith was a great asset to our company in a recent court hearing, he gave us sound advice from the beginning and represented the facts well in court which helped us secure a successful outcome.”

Emma Felton, Contracts Manager, Ash projects and Contracts Ltd

“Keith delivers a consistently thorough and clear legal analysis in a most approachable manner. We felt we had tremendous value from instructing him.”

Eve Pienaar, Legal Director, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors

“Keith represented us in a Disability Discrimination / Employment Tribunal. The advise we received was concise and to the point. Keith very quickly grasped an understanding our situation and helped us instigate a course of action that brought matters to a satisfactory conclusion in a timely manner. Throughout our dealings with Keith, I found him to be very professional and he helped put us at ease in a very unfamiliar environment. I believe he acted in our best interests at all times and I do not have any hesitation in recommending him.”

Ivor Thomas, Group Operations Director, Hankinson Painting Group

“We were very happy with us winning the case on a grossly unfair action against us…your handling of our defence was brilliant and you made the Judge and his colleagues see our point of view.

Nicos Ladas, Managing Director, The Lords Hotel, London

“Keith is a robust barrister, with a pragmatic approach to the tribunal process. He is always willing to listen and advise with an objective viewpoint on the merits of the case. He has an excellent rapport with the Clients and the instructing solicitor. He is good value for money.”

Rashmi Chopra, Solicitor, Sterling Avram LLP

“The advice has been excellent and the support second to none. I hope not to have to call on your services in the near future, but be assured I will recommend you to anybody in the industry who finds themselves in a similar situation going forward.”MK, Northamptonshire.

On returning from a 2 week holiday I was summoned to a meeting with the Head of HR and my immediate Manager. I was simply told that after discussion they unfortunately ‘Had to Let me go!’ I was then told that they had put together a great Settlement deal and I could take the rest of the day off read through the document contact a Solicitor, sign the settlement and get on with life. This was a new experience to me and I found Keith Webster on line and contacted the company on returning home. I received a prompt return call and that evening spoke to Keith Webster directly who informed me that he believed I had a very good case for Unfair Dismissal and his advice was not to accept. Within 48 hours my company was informed. Within 30 days I had a revised Settlement which on consultation I accepted. I was provided with detailed explanations of various options which allowed me to make the decision I did. This was an extremely stressful situation for me however the calm professional approach gave me the assurance I was with the right company. I have no hesitation in recommending Keith Webster and his entire team to anyone who is unfortunate to find themselves in the same situation.

MG, London

“Keith has provided invaluable advice to guide me to obtain the best possible outcome in my situation with my employer.Keith is very knowledgeable about employment law and given his corporate background and can grasp issues more quickly than other barrister’s and this was key for me in choosing the excellent service and advice he has offered.”

SG, Birmingham

“Having consulted Keith on a personal employment issue I cannot recommend him highly enough. Extremely approachable, knowledgeable and proactive. Keith resolved my issue very efficiently and favourably on my behalf.”

RP, West Yorkshire

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an employee appeal against the employer?

Nothing should stop an employee from making an appeal if he/she is not satisfied with the action taken by the employer. The appeal should be in writing, stating the employee’s grounds and reasons for the appeal. Employers should respond to the employee in writing, without unreasonable delay. An employee also has a statutory right to be accompanied by a colleague or union representative. A failure by an employer to resolve a grievance can, in certain circumstances, amount to constructive dismissal. If your employer has failed to resolve a grievance which is making your workplace intolerable for you, please contact me immediately and I will advise you of your options. If you think that your problems at work have not been resolved fairly or reasonably, please click here to contact me.

Can you appeal against disciplinary procedures?

Generally speaking (as it depends on an individual’s circumstances), an employee may appeal against such disciplinary procedures if he/she believes that:

The decision was wrong.
Unfair procedures were used.
The punishment is too harsh.
New evidence has come to light.

There are other unforeseen circumstances. An employee cannot make an Employment Tribunal claim against a warning, or disciplinary procedures reached, although an employee could claim constructive dismissal if the conduct of his/her employer forces him/her to leave. There is also an alternative approach to this, which is to suggest mediation.

What are Disciplinary procedures?

Disciplinary procedures are used by employers to tell employees that their performance or conduct isn’t up to the expected standard. Employers should always bear in mind principles of fairness when applying any disciplinary procedures. If an employee has been subjected to disciplinary procedures, it is the right of the employee to have a clear and informed decision on all the allegations made against him/her, together with supporting evidence. The employee should also be given the opportunity within a reasonable time frame to challenge the allegations before such decisions have been reached. If an employer decides to go ahead with the sanctioning of such disciplinary procedures, the employee should be given the right to appeal against it.

What are the various forms of discrimination?

Some kinds of discrimination are perfectly legal. For example, it is not illegal to discriminate against people who are overweight or who support a different football team to you. However oranges are not the only fruit. Discrimination on any of the following characteristics is illegal under the Equality Act 2010.

Age
Race
Gender / Sex / Sexual orientation.
Religion
Disability

What is a direct access barrister and does it benefit me?

It is now possible to go directly to a barrister for advice or representation without having to go through a solicitor – which was the only way for several hundred years. The new approach is known as ‘direct access’ or ‘public access’ and it is available in both civil and criminal cases. The first advantage of instructing a barrister direct is that you will save the cost of having a solicitor prepare a brief for the barrister. You may also, with the advice the barrister gives you, be able to correspond with the other party directly yourself – again saving the costs of solicitors’ letters. Secondly, when instructing a barrister direct, much of the work that would normally be done by a solicitor, such as collating documents and photocopying, will be done by you. Which means more cost savings. It has been estimated that clients who come direct to barristers can save between 50% and 60% of their legal costs in suitable civil and criminal matters. By going direct you may also find that the job is done quicker, and that you have more control over your case.