Expertise
Helen has been practising employment law, (with a particular interest in providing advice to the recruitment industry in the last 5 years), since 1999. Her clients are mainly UK based employers and high earning individuals.
Her work includes all aspects of non-contentious employment law from recruitment to termination of employment such as drafting of contracts for directors, employees of all descriptions and self-employed contractors; drafting employers’ staff policies and procedures; advice to employers on issues arising during employment such as restructuring and redundancy, discrimination of all forms including equal pay issues, statutory benefits such as minimum wage, holiday and rest entitlement, rights to time off for family reasons including maternity, paternity and adoption, rights of part time and fixed term workers, whistleblowing, data protection and the application of disciplinary and grievance procedures.
In the contentious sphere, she provides representation in Employment Tribunals in all types of claim and advises on the enforcement of post termination restrictions.
Other areas of practice include advice on the employment aspects of the sale or purchase of a business, primarily the application of the TUPE Regulations; and advice on terms of business and terms of engagement for employment agencies and employment businesses.
Seminars & workshops
2009: Seminars on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures 2009; and Managing Redundancy.
2008: Employment contract and policy essentials workshop, managing sickness absence workshop, mock Tribunal in association with Henderson Chambers, “Recruitment Do’s and Don’ts”.
2007: TUPE 2006
2006: Disciplinary & Grievance workshops and HR Troubleshooting: top 10 questions answered.
Recent publications
2009: ELA Briefing: The EU Directive on Temporary Agency Work; “Recruitment Matters” magazine: Keeping track of working time.
2008: “Recruitment Matters” magazine: Protection of information;
“The Growing Business Handbook”: Flexibility for employers.
2007: “The Growing Business Handbook”: Employment Law chapter, “Recruitment Matters” magazine: Rights of agency workers to claim unfair dismissal and “Recruitment Matters” magazine: maternity rights and agency workers.
Career
Helen attended the University of East Anglia where she obtained a degree in law.
Helen qualified in 1997 and after 2 years post qualification experience at a small firm in South Kensington, joined Goodman Derrick in 2000. She became a partner in 2005.
Memberships
Helen is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Interests
Helen enjoys Argentine Tango, Scrabble, painting and drawing, cooking, decorating, eating chocolate and raising small son. |
hwyatt@gdlaw.co.uk