Rachel Ashwood

Rachel is Senior Counsel in the Employment team.

Rachel has experience of the full range of HR issues which impact employers both in the UK and abroad. Rachel advises (primarily) employers on a variety of both contentious and non-contentious employment matters, international counselling, data privacy compliance, defending tribunal claims and supporting corporate transactions and projects. Rachel has vast experience (and a particular interest in) dealing with HR data privacy matters, advising corporate clients on their ongoing compliance obligations.

Rachel heads-up the team's HR data practice. She is also a member of ELA.

Key Experience

• Conducting various multi-jurisdictional projects on matters such as; use of electronic signatures for executing HR documents; compliance with agency/worker dispatch rules in different countries; requirements for employers to have physical premises; and use (and associated employment and tax risks) of engaging consultants in different locations.
• Being the lead client contact for a US headquartered business, in relation to its HR issues outside of the US, primarily in APAC, EMEA and in Canada. Partnering with the client 's internal legal team to provide timely and commercial employment law support across the time-zones, through one point of contact.
• Advising a global manufacturing organization on post-acquisition measures to rationalise its UK business. This included advising on the closure and partial closure of various UK sites and accompanying collective redundancy and TUPE issues.
• Advising an international online travel company on the introduction of a new category of worker in the UK, to help flex the supply of labour in peak season. Determining (and thereafter mitigating the risk of) employment status and advising on related issues, as well as introducing appropriate contracts and policies.
• Working with employers to navigate their way through the impact of Coronavirus. Advising on the introduction of contingency measures to ensure survival in the early days of the pandemic, though to advising on the furlough scheme and conducting individual and collective redundancy processes.
• Advising clients on appropriate strategy for dealing with Tribunal claims and guiding them through the process.
• Advising a high profile media organization on all of its day-to-day HR issues, including in relation to engaging and managing its international correspondents. Worked to extremely tight deadlines to mitigate the risk of unwanted press intrusion, when dealing with matters involving high profile employees.
• Spearheading the employment team 's efforts to ensure that clients were prepared for the introduction of the GPPR in 2018. Continuing to support clients maintain compliance but also being on hand to respond to data issues as they arise, such as responding to data subjects when they invoke their various rights and responding to breaches.

Career History

Senior Counsel, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Senior Counsel, Taylor Vinters LLP
Senior Associate, Taylor Vinters LLP
Employment Lawyer, Which? Legal Services
Associate, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Trainee Solicitor, Hammonds
Paralegal, Linklaters
Legal Assistant, Cantor Fitzgerald