Will Burrows
Partner
Will Burrows
Meet Will Burrows
I have practised employment law for over nineteen years. During this time, I have advised and acted in some of the highest profile and most valuable employment cases in the UK, including multi-million-pound discrimination and whistleblowing claims for senior management and directors, City of London professionals and senior police officers.
My experience
During my career I have acted for many hundreds of individuals, mostly representing management-level and above white-collar professionals in the financial, legal and insurance sectors, as well as journalists, FTSE 100 and 250 directors and senior rank police officers, including many chief constables, MPs and sports professionals.
I specialise in all areas of employment law, but with a particular interest and expertise in race discrimination and whistleblowing, as well as negotiation and mediation when leaving employment. I also advise individuals on the effect of their post-termination restrictions in relation to non-competition, non-poach and non-deal clauses as well as issues arising from misuse of confidential information.
I have acted successfully against some of the largest organisations in the world, securing extremely favourable settlements for my clients against teams of lawyers instructed by their employers.
I act as legal adviser on employment law matters to the Chief Police Officers’ Staff Association and the Police Superintendents’ Association of England and Wales and have been the Times Lawyer of the Week. I am a published author in the fields of employment rights and negotiation.
What our clients say
Current cases (examples):
- Currently acting for a former Managing Director of HSBC in a whistleblowing dismissal, detriments and unfair dismissal case including loss of bonus, LTI’s and shares.
- Currently acting for a former Managing Director of a major FX Trader in a whistleblowing dismissal, detriments and unfair dismissal case.
- Currently acting for a lawyer against her previous firm in a whistleblowing dismissal, detriments, disability discrimination and victimisation case.
- Currently acting for a wide range of other professionals in whistleblowing matters.
Recent Cases (examples, subject to settlement terms):
- Acted for a senior employee of a global financial institution based in the City in race and whistleblowing claims that settled for a value of eight years of the client’s salary.
- Acted for a trader in a global financial institution in claims of race discrimination, harassment and whistleblowing in a case that settled for a value of five years of the client’s salary.
- Acted for a senior police officer in a race and religious discrimination, and victimisation case against his force.
- Acted for many FTSE100 board directors in negotiated/managed exits.
My approach
I am often described as being “not like a lawyer” in my demeanour, which I generally take as a compliment and because I am personable and approachable, and not just because I look like a rugby player. I get on very well with my clients and work hard to achieve the outcomes they require.
Early in my career, I focused heavily on litigating and winning employment tribunal claims, whereas in the last five years my focus has been on securing settlements on behalf of my clients via litigation, mediation and negotiation so that my clients are able to move on to the next stages of their career with the most advantageous financial settlement possible. To achieve this, strategy and the use of evidence is paramount, and I pride myself on being able to devise and execute a winning strategy.
Will's featured article
What is a Without Prejudice Conversation?
A without prejudice conversation takes place for the purposes of settling a dispute between an employer and an employee.
Understanding Whistleblowing: A Study of Employee Perspectives on Reporting Wrongdoing in the UK
Whilst the majority of workers would be keen to whistleblow if they saw wrongdoing, over half (51%) of the UK’s workforce would not feel safe disclosing to their employer if they believed the company was breaking the law.
Without Prejudice vs Protected Conversation: Key facts from top law firm
Employers tend to use the terms “without prejudice” and “protected conversation” interchangeably when making an offer to terminate an employee’s employment with a financial offer, but they are separate legal concepts.
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