FOX & PARTNERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the London Litigation Solicitors Association
Caroline specialises in dispute resolution and litigation. Caroline's work often arises from a fall-out between (i) employers or professional firms (LLPs and traditional partnerships) on the one hand and (ii) employees, shareholders and directors or LLP members and partners on the other. Caroline has led significant claims in the Employment Tribunal, EAT, High Court and appeal courts, as well as through alternative dispute resolution processes (mediation, arbitration and expert determination).
Caroline frequently acts for professional firms in connection with the expulsion, compulsory retirement or de-equitisation of members or partners and for individuals responding to such processes. She regularly advises on the strategic handling of partner conduct, performance issues, discrimination and whistleblowing complaints. Much of her work is focused on the professional and financial services sectors. Caroline advises on complex investment management and private equity structures, often in connection with disputes concerning bonus, incentives (carried interest and other entitlements) and the effect of leaver provisions.
In the Employment Tribunal and EAT, Caroline has acted for a number of employees in the insurance and financial services sectors claiming automatic unfair dismissal for making protected disclosures about breaches of legal and regulatory obligations. Caroline has also spoken about whistleblowing on television.
Caroline regularly advises on business protection cases, providing strategic advice in relation to team moves, restrictive covenants and duties of confidentiality. She has significant experience defending and enforcing such provisions, including by obtaining and defending interim injunctions.
Caroline has dealt with a broad range of disputes, acting for corporate clients, professional firms, senior executives and partners. Her experience includes director and shareholder disputes, LLP and partnership disputes (including unfair prejudice actions), warranty claims, breaches of fiduciary duty claims, civil fraud claims, contract disputes and claims for misrepresentation, mistake and professional negligence (recently acting for a corporate client in claims involving specialist employment law work by a major law practice).
Caroline provides straightforward advice, which always takes account of the commercial goals of the client. With extensive experience of acting for both employers and partnerships and LLP members, partners and senior executives, Caroline understands the pressures on both sides. She puts the client at the heart of each recommendation and focuses on achieving the optimum outcome in a cost effective manner, while safeguarding reputation and managing financial exposure.
Caroline is recommended as a Global Leader in Labour and Employment law in Who's Who Legal for 2019, in recognition of Fox & Partners' leading position in the profession for partnership and employment law. She was included in Management Today's prestigious 35 women under 35 list in 2018.
Caroline has contributed to a recently published book: Special Report on Partner Retirement in Law Firms: Strategies for Partners, Law Firms and Other Professional Services. It is the first book of its kind, providing practical advice to retiring partners from a multi-disciplinary team.
Caroline is a committee member of the London Litigation Solicitors Association (representing over 2,000 members) having been Past President of the Junior LSLA. She is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and Association of Partnership Practitioners (former Up and Coming Committee member). Caroline has taken an active role in working groups responding to consultations affecting access to justice. Most recently, she co-ordinated the LSLA's response to the consultation launched in November 2017 in relation to proposals to radically reform the document disclosure process in the courts and participated in a series of panel discussions to promote and collect feedback on the proposals, together with senior members of the judiciary and profession.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the Employment Law Association
Catriona Watt specialises in contentious partnership, employment and discrimination law. Catriona advises employers, professional partnerships and LLPs, senior executives and partners across a variety of sectors.
Her experience includes advising both institutions and individuals on sensitive and confidential senior level appointments and departures. Catriona often advises on complex team move situations in which there are usually restrictive covenant, fiduciary duties and potential forfeiture aspects as well as contentious exits from partnership structures particularly in professional services, financial services and private equity. She regularly drafts, and advises both employers and individual executives and partners on the terms of service agreements, staff policies and procedures, settlement agreements, LLP agreements, and retirement deeds. Catriona has particular experience in dealing with individuals leaving and joining hedge fund and private equity structures, frequently with a complex bonus and incentive element.
Catriona works with clients to avoid litigation but where that is not possible, Catriona draws on her experience of involvement in Employment Tribunal and High Court litigation including high-value discrimination, whistleblowing claims and breach of contract claims. She gives clear and pragmatic advice tailored to the client's objectives in situations which are usually time-critical, high-profile and often with a regulatory aspect. Where there is a market-sensitive or public interest angle, Catriona works with PR advisers.
Catriona is a member of the Employment Law Association, Association of Partnership Practitioners and is a past Co-Chair of the Young Lawyers' Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA). Catriona regularly attends IBA conferences and events and often writes for industry press.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Member of the Employment Lawyers Association
Claire is an Associate specialising in employment and partnership law.
Claire advises on a range of contentious and non-contentious workplace issues for companies, LLPs, professional partnerships, senior executives and partners. She advises clients across a variety of sectors including legal and financial services.
Claire has a particular interest in business protection cases and has acted for clients in relation to both drafting and enforcement of post-termination restrictions.
In addition to employment matters, Claire has worked on high-profile, high-value commercial litigation involving multiple jurisdictions. Her experience includes the successful discharge of a $3 billion worldwide freezing injunction obtained against a private individual and dismissal of the claim.
Claire has experience advising in relation to internal investigations in the financial services sector, often engaging regulatory issues.
Claire gives advice that is clear and to the point, taking account of her clients' commercial objectives.
Claire is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association, the Association of Partnership Practitioners and the Industrial Law Society.
Claire joined Fox & Partners in November 2020. Prior to this, she practised at another top City firm after training at a niche City practice specialising in employment law, commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Claire qualified as a solicitor in April 2018.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of the Industrial Law Society
Dean is a partner who brings more than 30 years' experience as a solicitor to advise on partnership, employment and shareholder disputes. He counsels professional firms and individual partners, employers and employees, companies and shareholders alike on their rights and obligations, with a focus on high-value matters involving strategic, regulatory, financial or reputational risk.
Dean has a wealth of partnership and employment law knowledge having acted for respondent employers, LLP members and employees on injunctions, restrictive covenants, team moves, partnership disputes, wrongful dismissal, breach of contract, discrimination and whistleblowing complaints. He also has extensive experience advising on the employment aspects of a wide variety of private equity, M&A and outsourcing transactions, as well as workforce restructurings.
Dean has a keen interest in corporate governance and compliance issues and has advised companies, limited partnerships, senior executives and LLP members on their responsibilities under the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, the UK Corporate Governance Code, the FCA/PRA Remuneration Codes, the Takeover Code and recommended best practice.
Dean advises on bonus and carried interest schemes, service agreements, disciplinary and grievance matters and the termination of employment of senior executives, including the tax rules for severance payments. He has been responsible for negotiating exit packages for Senior Managers employed by UK, US and European banks and other financial institutions.
Dean endeavours to assist clients to fulfil their objectives in often difficult and stressful circumstances employing the patience, discretion and pragmatism for which he is known. He has presented client seminars and delivered keynote speeches on topics such as TUPE and the Bribery Act 2010.
Dean is ranked by Chambers for his contentious partnership work and is recommended by The Legal 500 for partnership law. He is described as "a veteran of the partnership space".
Dean is a member of the Industrial Law Society, the Association of Partnership Practitioners and the Employment Lawyers Association.
Emma joined as Fox & Partners' Chief Operating Officer in September 2019, having spent 7 years at another boutique law firm in the City.
She assists the Partners with the management of the firm and is responsible for all operational matters.
Emma has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice Management from Manchester Metropolitan University and regularly contributes articles to industry press. She has also been a panelist at the annual LPM Conference, and was a member of the judging panel for the inaugural LPM Practice Excellence Awards 2019.
Ivor has considerable experience of conducting litigation in both employment law-related High Court disputes and significant employment tribunal matters, as well as experience in many other aspects of employment, partnership and data protection law.
Ivor acts for partners and employees in relation to exits from professional services firms (particularly in the legal sector), and for senior executives and partners in the insurance, banking and private equity sectors (particularly in relation to substantial carried interest disputes). He has particular expertise in advising on sensitive and complex conduct and performance investigations and harassment matters. His work demands a detailed understanding of professional regulation (bolstered in 2018 following a course focused on Financial Services and Markets Regulation), data protection rights and workplace privacy issues.
Ivor also has experience of acting for NHS Chief Executives, medical professionals, professional music performers and sports professionals, including a number of high profile football coaches and managers. Ivor's experience includes disputes arising out of breach of contract, including in relation to remuneration (incentive arrangements and good leaver/bad leaver provisions), restrictive covenants and professional negligence claims against firms of solicitors in relation to their employment law advice. He has also advised in arbitration proceedings. His experience includes matters involving an off-shore element.
During Ivor's career he has represented claimants in high-value and complex whistle-blowing claims, discrimination claims (including a sexual orientation discrimination claim concerning the "outing" of an individual, appealed to the Court of Appeal), executive work stress claims (overwork and or bullying) and TUPE claims. A number of his cases have established legal precedents. He appeared for the group of musicians who, in a ground-breaking claim, sought an injunction to require the National Theatre to reengage them to play their instruments in the production of War Horse following their dismissal: Ashworth & Ors v The Royal National Theatre [2014] EWHC 1176. The case had significant legal implications and received considerable press coverage.
He gives clear and pragmatic advice and is known for his highly strategic conduct of litigation and the resolution of sensitive disputes.
Ivor has been interviewed on radio and television on employment law issues, delivered seminars and numerous training sessions and been quoted in the legal press. He has presented to the membership of the American Bar Association on UK data protection, the GDPR and privacy issues.
Ivor joined Fox & Partners as a partner in 2018, moving from his position as a partner in a top 30 UK law firm. He has over 12 years' experience in employment law. He is a qualified Solicitor-Advocate with Higher Rights of Audience (civil).
Ivor also has a particular interest in legislative change effecting the workplace and sits on the Legislative and Policy Committee of Employment Lawyers Association. He is also an active member of the Association of Partnership Practitioners, Professional Negligence Lawyers Association and Commercial Litigators Forum.
Job Titles:
- Legal Director
- Member of the Employment Lawyers' Association
Jackie is a Legal Director advising on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters. She works with employers from a range of sectors, with an emphasis on financial and professional services, retail and technology. Jackie also advises professional services firms on partnership-related legal issues.
Jackie regularly advises clients on the strategic aspects of senior executive disputes and exits, the drafting and negotiation of employment documentation and remuneration arrangements, and policy matters including restructuring and diversity initiatives. She also advises on employee competition issues and has advised on team moves for financial services, technology and insurance sector clients. Where it is impossible to avoid litigation, Jackie has extensive experience advising employers on high-value claims on matters including sex, race and disability discrimination, harassment and whistleblowing.
Jackie has particular expertise in investigations. She has acted as an independent investigator on employment-related investigations in sectors including financial services and media. She also regularly advises on investigation processes and the associated employment and regulatory risks.
Recent experience includes:
successfully defending a multi-jurisdictional claim for constructive unfair dismissal and breach of contract;
advising a financial services firm on a wide range of employment law issues including senior executive exits, the settlement of a complex tribunal claim and the strategic management of grievance investigations in a regulated environment;
advising a PLC on a global restructuring project;
advising the UK branch of an international professional services firm on grievance investigations, performance and promotion issues, and the removal of partners; and
advising a corporate LLP member on the contractual arrangements for new partners following the acquisition of their business.
Jackie provides clients with practical advice underpinned by a strong understanding of the legal framework. In advising, she is always aware of the human aspect of employment disputes and uses this focus to achieve commercial solutions that minimise the risk and stress for all concerned. Her knowledge of the financial services remuneration regime means that she can provide clear and pragmatic advice to both employers and employees on pay and incentives related matters.
Jackie is ranked as a Rising Star by the Legal 500 for Employer work.
Jackie is a member of the Employment Lawyers' Association and recently took part in a working party providing ELA's response to the Government's consultation on access to justice. She has also co-authored and presented training for the In-House Employment Lawyers Network on clashing protected rights.
Jackie joined Fox & Partners in September 2023 from the London employment team of a full-service international law firm. She has more than 20 years' experience in employment law.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Member of the Employment Lawyers Association
Jess is an Associate specialising in employment and partnership law.
Jess advises on a range of contentious and non-contentious workplace issues for companies, LLPs, professional partnerships, senior executives and partners. She has particular experience advising individuals working in financial services and professional services.
She has advised clients in connection with proceedings in the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal, High Court and Court of Appeal litigation. She also has experience of alternative dispute resolution, including mediation. She advises on a wide range of contentious employment law issues, including dismissal, discrimination, employee competition, disciplinary and grievance investigations and hearings, and has supported a number of clients achieve resolution by way of negotiated exit.
Jess particularly enjoys advising on business protection cases, providing strategic advice in relation to team moves, restrictive covenants and duties of confidentiality. She also has broad experience drafting employment and partnership documentation, including partnership deeds, service agreements, employment contracts and settlement agreements.
Jess gives advice that is clear and pragmatic, taking account of her clients' commercial objectives.
Jess is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and the Association for Partnership Practitioners. Jess joined Fox & Partners in June 2021.
Joanna is a strategic lawyer with over a decade of City employment law experience, primarily in acting for large employers in the financial services, professional services and technology sectors. Joanna has also completed in-house assignments as an Executive Reward Partner in the Global HR division of a FTSE 5 global bio-pharmaceutical company and as Employment Counsel on client secondments for two European investment banks and a global professional services firm.
Joanna has a specialism in senior executive disputes, with experience of handling breach of contract, unfair dismissal and discrimination claims, in addition to injunctive relief and executive remuneration matters. Joanna is commercial and sensitive in handling settlement agreements. Where matters cannot be resolved pragmatically, she is well-placed to litigate with English Court experience spanning the Employment Tribunal, the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Joanna has also worked on disputes with a cross-border angle.
Joanna has undertaken a range of work in the realm of the protection of business interests including High Court experience of team move disputes, leading to bringing and defending committal proceedings against insurance brokers in the UK and defending an alleged team move in Dubai. Her in-house project work has included rolling out restrictive covenants to a global executive population of 240 across 27 jurisdictions. She has also worked on a matter involving a debt claim against a senior employee linked to his Dubai assignment as part of a wider unfair dismissal claim.
Joanna's executive reward business partnering role for a listed company required her to advise the CEO, Remuneration Committee and business unit on the global hire, promotion and exit of senior executives, including pay benchmarking and stock buyout data analysis, in addition to drafting their offer and exit letters. She has also worked with private counsel to update a complex suite of Share Plan Rules for CEO and Remuneration Committee approval.
Joanna has also advised clients on matters relating to financial services regulation (eg regulatory references) and data protection law (eg DSARs), particularly where linked to litigation cases. Her broader employment law experience includes general advisory work and employment matters linked to M&A and corporate restructurings.
Joanna has an interest in diversity and inclusion, particularly where linked to corporate governance. She has been involved in 30% Club City-wide initiatives to increase representation of women on Boards including a working party to improve various business practices across City law and accountancy firms. Joanna is a member of the Employment Law Association.
Job Titles:
- Associate ( Qualified in New Zealand )
Ronnie Fox is often approached on the basis of his reputation in partnership law and practice. He is particularly well-known for his expertise in negotiating departure arrangements, acting for employers, for employees, for professional firms and for individual partners. Ronnie offers clients and colleagues the benefit of his extensive experience and knowledge, contributing strategic input into client matters and acting as a sounding board for colleagues.
Many clients are in the financial and professional services sectors. Some partnership clients are themselves lawyers and law firms; others are involved in venture capital, private equity and asset management. Partners in professional firms often turn to Ronnie for advice on retirement and succession.
The Partnership section of The Legal 500 includes Ronnie in its Hall of Fame; the publishers say, "The Legal 500 Hall of Fame highlights, to clients, individuals who have received constant praise from their clients for continued excellence. The Hall of Fame highlights the law firm partners who are at the pinnacle of the profession".
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Member of the Employment Lawyers Association
Shiv is a Senior Associate specialising in employment and partnership law.
Shiv advises on a range of contentious and non-contentious workplace issues for companies, LLPs, professional partnerships, senior executives and partners. Shiv advises clients on employment law matters and also has experience in other areas of law such as partnership disputes.
Shiv trained at Allen & Overy and qualified as a solicitor in 2014. He joined Fox & Partners in 2019 to work on contentious employment and partnership disputes work. Prior to joining Fox & Partners, Shiv practised at another top London firm.
On senior executive matters, Shiv has acted for individuals from a variety of different sectors, such as financial services, private equity, technology and retail. Shiv has advised clients on very sensitive disputes in situations involving high profile, public figures. Shiv is particularly interested in team moves and advising individual partners or groups of partners on how to exit a business and providing them with pragmatic advice on restrictive covenants. Shiv recently acted for a senior equity partner at a leading law firm who was moving to a competitor firm and needed urgent advice on his rights and obligations.
On the employer side, Shiv has assisted employers such as large technology companies, accounting firms and barristers' chambers. Shiv's work has included drafting and advising on various types of employment documentation, including service agreements, employment contracts, staff handbooks and policies. Shiv has also guided clients on performance management processes and how to exit employees from a business quickly, quietly and with minimal risk.
Shiv gives clear, commercial and easy-to-understand advice to all his clients. Shiv joined Fox & Partners in 2019 and prior to this, he practised at another top London firm. Shiv trained at a Magic Circle law firm in London and qualified as a solicitor in 2014.
Shiv is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and the Association of Partnership Practitioners.