Background

Melvyn came to the Bar after a long and successful career in business. He then obtained the only first class LLB degree at his university in his year as well as 7 prizes.

He was called to the Bar by Lincoln's Inn in October 1997.

He accepted a tenancy at 7 New Square in April 1999 eventually being elected Deputy Head of Chambers and Treasurer.

Melvyn joined 5 Essex Court in April 2010.

He is qualified to accept Public Access work.

Employment

Melvyn advises and represents both Claimants and Respondents in about equal measure and regularly appears in Employment Tribunals and the EAT. He deals with all aspects of employment law including unfair dismissal, TUPE, advising on and drafting employment contracts, and has a particular interest in discrimination issues.

In late 2008 he successfully represented a quite lowly paid part-time disabled Claimant in an unfair dismissal and disability discrimination claim against a Respondent, a charity whose main function was to assist carers of disabled persons and, having obtained judgment in his lay client's favour, negotiated a settlement prior to the remedies hearing approaching £100,000. Although only a first instance decision, the case was cited in "Focus on Disability", a feature in the June 2009 issue of IDS Employment Law Brief.

In early 2010 Melvyn obtained an award of £150,000 for a 61 year old lay client in an unfair dismissal claim on the basis which the Employment Tribunal accepted that he was unlikely to obtain work before his retirement age.

Recent Employment Cases:

In October 2011 Melvyn was successful in persuading an employment judge at a pre-hearing review that that an employee, a legally qualified solicitor who was a senior executive of a company engaged in PFI work that went into administration and who had been dismissed shortly after that, had transferred under TUPE to one of the country’s leading firms of solicitors who had been appointed to advise the administrator.

For some time prior to the administration the main part of the employee’s work was concerned with the disposal of some of the PFI contracts to raise finance for the company. Over a period of months during the administration the remainder of the PFI contracts were either disposed of or cancelled. The firm of solicitors dealt with those matters for the administrators as well as many other matters relating to the insolvency of the company.

Melvyn had been involved in the case from its inception and on behalf of the employee claimed she should have transferred to the firm of solicitors under TUPE by reason that there was a service provision change and the employment judge decided those matters and others in the employee’s favour. The matter now goes to a full hearing to decide quantum.

Chancery and Commercial:

Melvyn covers a wide range of work falling within these areas including partnership, probate, property, and an extensive range of commercial matters including not only dealing with all kinds of disputes but also advising on and drafting terms and conditions of contracts.

Lectures:

Melvyn regularly provides CPD lectures for solicitors and HR managers on all aspects of his employment law practice.

Education:

ICSL, 1996-1997

Middlesex University 1993-1996

Interests:

Tennis, Skiing and Travel