Mishcon de Reya has announced that Susannah Kintish has been elected as the new Chair of the firm’s Tier 1 ranked Employment department. Susannah has been with Mishcon de Reya for 17 years, joining as a newly qualified lawyer and appointed as a partner in 2017. Her election will take effect in April and follows the election of the outgoing Employment Chair, Daniel Naftalin, as Managing Partner of the firm.
Susannah works with clients (both corporates and senior individuals) to provide pragmatic and strategic advice on day-to-day employment issues and in high-stakes situations. She is a seasoned litigator with experience of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court and Employment Tribunal.
Susannah frequently advises in relation to restrictive covenants, theft of confidential information and team move cases. She is recognised in this area and has authored a chapter on the subject in the pre-eminent employment practitioners' text: Harvey on Industrial Relations and Employment Law.
Susannah is often called to advise upon and to advise on and conduct investigations, particularly in circumstances where there is a regulatory or reputational risk.
She works at the forefront of the legal landscape advising clients on matters arising out of the “gig economy” and is a recognised commentator in both the press and legal profession on matters relating to worker status. Susannah acted for Pimlico Plumbers in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal in the landmark case on worker status and holiday pay respectively.
Susannah is ranked as a leading employment partner by legal directories and is widely recognised for her commercial, strategic and pragmatic approach, and as a “superb litigator, with an excellent strategic sense and first-rate client skills”. Clients say, “she has a great balance of being detail-oriented and knowledgeable while being pragmatic and outcome-oriented.” She is also named in the Lawyer Hot 100 and recommended by Spears.
Susannah undertakes regular pro-bono work. She represented the Jewish Labour Movement in relation to the referral of the Labour Party to the Equality and Human Rights Commission on issues of antisemitism. She also acted for the family of Siham Hamud in connection with the legal proceedings threatened by her school following her refusal to comply with the school's uniform policy on the grounds of her religious belief.
Daniel Naftalin, Managing Partner-elect of Mishcon de Reya and the firm’s outgoing Employment Chair, said:
“I am so pleased that Susannah has been elected as Chair of our Employment department. She has worked closely with me over the last 17 years to help build the department from just a handful of employment lawyers to a thriving and growing team of more than 70 lawyers dedicated to serving our clients on all aspects of employment law. With her help, the department has flourished, becoming the top choice for the best lawyers and clients with complex legal issues, and it could not be in better hands.”
Susannah added:
“I am honoured to have been elected Chair of our Employment department – it is the privilege of my career to be able to lead this market-leading team. The Employment department has long held a special place at Mishcon de Reya. We have seen substantial and consistent growth over the 17 years that I have been in this department; we have been at the forefront of the legal landscape acting on some of the biggest issues in employment law; and we attract diverse and interesting clients from the largest institutions to individuals. The team are a collective that work hard, respect each other, and have fun together. As the new Chair, my priority will be to continue to grow the business in our key strategic areas, attract and nurture the best talent, and ensure the firm remains the destination Employment department for clients with complex employment law needs.”