Matthew is a Partner in the Employment department.
Matthew advises employers and employees on all aspects of employment law and related legal and commercial matters across a wide range of sectors.
He has extensive experience acting on complex, high-value and sensitive matters for employees, senior executives, directors (of both private and listed companies) and partners/LLP members. Matthew has acted for senior individuals from a number of global household names, including Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, M&G Investments, UBS, Morgan Stanley, Janus Henderson, PwC, Deutsche Bank, RBS, Standard Chartered, Credit Suisse, L'Oreal, HSBC, Royal Mail, Nomura, JLT, Alesco and Goldman Sachs. He is most frequently instructed to negotiate and advise on exit packages and associated litigation, but also advises individuals in relation to contractual and commercial terms at the outset of employment.
Matthew also acts for a wide range of employers on matters typically involving large scale and high stake litigation or reputationally sensitive regulatory and internal investigations. He advises employers on all day-to-day HR matters, (including disciplinary, grievance and redundancy procedures, drafting and review of employment contracts, consultancy arrangements, settlement agreements and handbook policies). Matthew has also acted for companies and founders involved in a range of corporate transactions.
Matthew has litigated on behalf of a number of senior individuals and employers across several sectors. This includes High Court litigation involving injunctions, misuse of confidential information, team moves and enforceability of restrictive covenants, as well as disputes in the Employment Tribunal involving employment status, discrimination, harassment, whistleblowing, unfair and constructive dismissal.
Matthew is a contributing author to a chapter on Restraint of Trade in Harvey on Industrial Relations and Employment Law (the leading practioners' text), and has had articles published in the Employment Law Journal, Recruitment International and other publications on a range of topics. He is also a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Key Experience
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Alesco Risk Management Services Ltd & Ors v Bishopsgate Insurance Brokers Ltd & Ors [2019] EWHC 2839 (QB) – represented Nawaf Hasan through to trial in a case involving an alleged unlawful team move and various breaches of contract and fiduciary duties.
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Represented a tech start up and two of its directors in relation to a complex Tribunal claim from a co-founder for unfair dismissal and whistleblowing.
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Advised the CEO of a global manufacturer on a contentious exit which involved defending allegations of breach of contract and bringing a claim for unlawful exercise of discretion. The case settled with a multi-million pounds payment to the CEO.
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Acted for a large insurer defending a High Court claim involving allegations of an unlawful team move and conspiracy.
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Acted for a leading publishing house in relation to highly sensitive Tribunal claim involving allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination, and separately in relation to a large scale internal investigation, subsequent HMRC reporting and the dismissal of various senior individuals.
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Advised a senior executive at Deutsche Bank in relation to discrimination and whistleblowing claims which resulted in a seven figure settlement sum.
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Advised a multi-national travel company defending a claim for unfair dismissal, direct and indirect discrimination and harassment in the Employment Tribunal.
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Advised a Championship football club on a sensitive internal investigation which resulted in the dismissal of four senior members of management.
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Advised a number of PLCs across multiple sectors on engagement and dismissal of directors.
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Advised a financial advisory firm on an internal investigation into suspected competitive behaviour by a senior executive and co-founder.
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Provided advice to a recruitment agency in relation to an investigation by the Equality and Human Rights.
Career History
Managing Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Trainee Solicitor, Linklaters LLP
Articles and Publications
Report on the Taylor review: full steam ahead or running aground?