Elizabeth Lang

I am a partner specialising in employment law. I am based in our London office but work as part of the International HR Services team. I work for a wide range of clients, companies and individuals, advising on a wide range of issues and helping them to resolve employment law issues.

I often advise clients on strategic HR related issues such as how to implement new legislation and how to prepare for future changes on the horizon, as well as advising on specific employment related issues such as dismissals, investigations, employee claims, and restructurings. A typical week may involve negotiating severance packages with senior executives, advising on a factory closure, working on a union recognition dispute, changing terms and conditions, or negotiating a TUPE schedule. I also act for clients in Employment Tribunal proceedings, appeals to the Employment Appeals Tribunal, the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

My approach is highly practical and constructive, and I believe that the best results come from working collaboratively with my clients. I have a large number of long-standing clients that know that I will always seek to give service of the highest quality in the most efficient way possible. This includes evaluating at an early stage whether there is a way to minimise time and cost expenditure.

I really enjoy the human element of employment law, and the combination it requires of up to date legal knowledge (case law develops very fast in this area) and a commercial, solution-driven pragmatic approach. Increasingly, we are involved in using technology to help to deliver our advice, particularly in relation to international projects.

• Representing a major UK airline in a number of matters including collective bargaining disputes, and advising them on all aspects of strategic and day to day advisory work.
• Advising a US adtech company on all UK law issues including establishment, drafting of sales plans and other policies, dealing with employee performance issues and employment claims.
• Advising on how to effectively terminate a very senior music business executive, with a high value and complex contract and multi-jurisdictional responsibilities. This involved legal analysis, advising on the negotiation strategy and was ultimately resolved without resort to litigation.
• Acted successfully for the National Union of Mineworkers in their dispute with Arthur Scargill relating to his occupation of a flat in the Barbican (widely covered in the press).
• Advising a hedge fund manager in relation to a discrimination and equal pay claim against her employer. This was ultimately resolved by way of mediation.