Team
Anna Jones
Account Director
John Gillespie
Account Director
John joined esphr in 2022 and brings considerable wealth and experience to the role, having spent nearly 30 years operating within a professional business development environment. His in-depth knowledge of the sector allows him to recognise the challenges that HR stakeholders and business leaders face within their organisations and being able to deliver high level, commercially focused HR and employment law outsource solutions. He places great importance on listening to customers and ensuring their needs are put first.
Sarah Dillon
Legal & ER Director (SRA)
Sarah is a litigation expert with over 15 years’ experience. Sarah embarked on her career in employment law as an advocate for an employment law consultancy and continued as an advocate alongside being an employment law advisor for a plethora of reputable UK law firms including: DAC Beachcroft, Ward Hadaway and Richmonds Solicitors, where she was head of the employment department.
Nina Robinson
Legal Services Director, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Nina is an accomplished employment solicitor with over 15 years’ post-qualified experience at leading UK law firms. Nina initially qualified as a corporate solicitor at Addleshaw Goddard in 2005 and since 2006 practised employment law exclusively, providing advice to employer customers at both DAC Beachcroft and Ward Hadaway Solicitors. Nina has experience of advising a varied portfolio of employer customers, including retail and restaurant groups, financial services and media industry customers on all employment issues.
Sarah James
Associate Solicitor
Sarah has specialised in employment law since qualifying as a solicitor in 2000 and joined the esphr team in 2022 after working in a large national law firm and in house. She gives commercial and practical advice to employers of all sizes, including large companies, SMEs, public sector and third sector organisations. An experienced litigator and employee relations specialist, Sarah also provides training to clients to help them keep up to date with changes in employment law and best practice.
Fiona Chadwick
Associate Solicitor
Charlotte Ashton
Associate Senior Solicitor, Head of Immigration, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Charlotte has over 10 years’ experience in all aspects of employment law, having qualified as a solicitor in 2009. She trained in-house with a large UK company, covering 45,000 employees, and moved to private practice on qualification. Charlotte enjoys helping growing companies understand their legal obligations and has given training and presentations to start up entrepreneurs, and business students, at a local University. Charlotte also specialises in business immigration law for the UK and has helped employers obtain sponsor licences in order to recruit from outside the UK.
Charlotte Morris
Associate Senior Solicitor, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Charlotte qualified as a solicitor in 2010 and has over 10 years’ experience of handling a varied and complex caseload, with focus on the retail and hospitality, transport and logistics and manufacturing sectors. She is also experienced within the education sector not only in advising clients but providing training to other lawyers within the sector and volunteering as a school governor for several years. Having undertaken a large litigation caseload throughout her career, Charlotte takes a commercial approach to her advice, enabling customers to manage risks and make informed decisions.
Rebecca Ellis
Operations Executive
Rebecca joined esphr in January 2023 as Legal Support Administrator.
Prior to this, Rebecca worked as a Project Manager for a renewable energy company working on various projects from churches and school projects.
Rebecca enjoys working in a fast paced environment and thrives from the variety her job offers.
William Lane
Senior Employment Law Adviser and Solicitor, WorkNest
Jamie Gamble
Partner, Ward Hadaway
Gillian Chinhengo
Partner, Ward Hadaway
Gillian Burns
Solicitor, Ward Hadaway
Gillian has advised on all aspects of employment law, including unfair and constructive dismissal claims and discrimination claims, and is a member of our corporate support team providing employment advice on business and share sales or acquisitions.
Tom Shears
Solicitor, Ward Hadaway
Rachael McCartney
Associate, Ward Hadaway
Katie Adams
Associate, Ward Hadaway
Laura Campo
Business Support Manager
Laura joined esphr in January 2022 as operations executive after spending seven years teaching yoga while her children were young. Prior to this, Laura worked in HR departments in both London and Sydney, working on various HR change and implementation projects. Laura loves being part of a team once more, and the variety that comes from working in the operations department at esphr.
Stephen Conlan
Associate Director, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Stephen has extensive experience in all aspects of UK employment law, having worked with many different clients in numerous and varied industries. His clients are from a broad range of sectors, including healthcare, retail, property, hospitality and fitness, education, professional and manufacturing.
His contentious practice covers all types of employment law claims, advising and representing employer respondents in employment tribunal and court proceedings. He has helped clients to obtain High Court injunctions and negotiated substantial damages arising from breaches of covenants and the unlawful misuse and appropriation of confidential information. He has successfully defended applications for interim relief in the Employment Tribunal. He has experience of claims relating to transgender and philosophical belief, and neurodiversity and discrimination.
In his advisory practice he works with human resources and business managers advising on the full range of employment law issues. He works with HR teams and their respective business client groups in varying commercial contexts, providing daily ad hoc and regular support, advice and guidance.
Stephen also has experience of advising clients in relation to trade union recognition, industrial disputes, employee relations and strike action.
He has worked with global corporates to smaller UK companies assisting with restructures, reorganisations, redundancy and commercial contracts and with cross border and foreign jurisdiction elements.
Stephen has extensive knowledge of working with NHS Trusts, having provided in-house support to the HR and executive management team in a large NHS Trust for a period of 12 months, being available for ad hoc enquires, employee relations support, to working on ongoing complex disciplinary and grievance matters, advice to the executive board, often involving complex and multi-faceted complaints of discrimination, whistleblowing and relationship issues, many matters against a backdrop of difficult political influences within the context of the regulators, the CQC and NHS Improvement. He has also chaired numerous Medical Consultant appointment committees (AAC’s), appointing candidates to permanent consultant hospital roles.
Stephen is part of the firm’s investigations team and has undertaken numerous corporate and other investigations.
He delivers legal training programmes to numerous HR and business managers at various clients, to local groups, groups of managers and bespoke training for larger HR teams.
Stephen is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Reported cases:
Smith v Brighton & Sussex University Hospital NHS Trust (Case No: 2356615/12) [2013] EqLR 1213
Disability discrimination and unfair dismissal.
Joseph v Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust UKEAT/0001/15
Disability discrimination and unfair dismissal. Obligations on tribunal to make enquiries into evidence of disability in trial bundle but concerning which no evidence was given.
Dahou v Serco Limited UKEAT/0027/14/JOJ
Leading case in the burden of proof in relation to trade union detriment and automatic unfair dismissal claims.
Year of qualification: 1996
Lisa Harris
Associate Director, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Lisa has specialised in the area of employment law since 1999 and has wide experience of all aspects of the discipline in a variety of workplace sectors including healthcare and education (both public and private sector), agronomy, creative industries, charities and public relations.
Her litigation experience includes representing employer clients in Employment Tribunal and High Court proceedings, as well as the EAT and Court of Appeal. She has successfully defended complex discrimination and whistleblowing claims following multi-day hearings, and interim relief applications. She also has experience of defending and bringing injunction proceedings in the High Court.
As far as non-contentious work is concerned, Lisa advises on a full range of employment law issues, supporting both managers and HR specialists at her clients with concerns such as managing performance and sickness absence, termination of employment of senior staff, managing a TUPE transfer or reorganisation/redundancy process, responding to complex grievances often including discrimination, and advising on changes to terms and conditions affecting thousands of employees.
Lisa has worked for a number of NHS trusts for many years and has advised on doctor disciplinary matters handled under MHPS as well as TUPE issues. She has also chaired numerous Medical Consultant appointment committees (AACs), appointing candidates to permanent consultant hospital roles.
Lisa is part of the firm’s investigation team and has completed a number of lengthy investigations into bullying and discrimination allegations for NHS trusts.
Lisa regularly delivers training to clients, both to HR professionals and line managers; recent topics have included holiday pay in light of the Harpur v Brazel Supreme Court decision, disability discrimination and neurodiversity, whistleblowing and conducting workplace investigations.
Lisa is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Before becoming a solicitor she taught English in rural Japan and worked as a paralegal in Washington DC.
Year of qualification: 1999
Colin Henney
Associate Director, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Colin is a senior solicitor with over 30 years’ employment law experience.
In that time, he established and headed up a nationally-rated employment team for a major regional firm, was an ACAS trainer nearly ten years.
Colin has appeared in numerous cases in Employment Tribunals throughout the UK and in the Employment Appeal Tribunal in London (where for a time he was a member of a lawyers’ panel providing pro bono representation to unassisted appellants).
As an employment lawyer he consciously divides his time between employer and employee-related work, believing that involvement on both sides gives a unique perspective on problem-solving in the workplace.
Whilst his experience covers all areas, he has a particular interest in the development of discrimination law, and the importance of using equality and diversity as tools to strengthen and develop organisations. Prominent corporate clients have included EDS, Baxter Healthcare, RealNetworks, Stagecoach, and Oxford Brookes University.
In 2006, Colin co-created a work relationship consultancy, and qualified as an accredited mediator and trained coach. He co-developed a module designed to assist line managers in dealing with and conducting discussions and meetings in challenging circumstances, drawing on his many years of practice related to workplace conflict.
He was also involved in significant assignments for Shell, BP, TK Maxx and Coca-Cola Enterprises, amongst others. Colin is passionate about training and the opportunities – if properly targeted and imaginatively designed – it can offer to share knowledge and experience.
Year of qualification: 1982
Anna Fisken (Kaznowska)
Solicitor, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Anna specialises in employment law, especially all contentious aspects. She has experience of defending complex discrimination claims in the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal on behalf of employers, including those in the health and education sectors.
Prior to joining CLM, Anna trained with Mills & Reeve, held paralegal roles in the litigation teams for two major London law firms and also undertook some pupillage training at various Chancery Lane barristers’ chambers. Anna is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Year of qualification: 2019
Alexandra Scarfe
Solicitor, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Alex specialises in all aspects of employment law.
She has experience in acting for employers and individuals in the Employment Tribunal and in providing advice on disciplinary issues, redundancy situations, performance management and managing sickness absence. She has also acted clients in the County Court on breach of contract claims.
Alex has experience of reviewing, drafting and advising on employment contracts, policies and settlement agreements. Alex has also advised employer clients on data protection issues in the workplace, including dealing with complex subject access requests.
Prior to joining to CLM, Alex gained experience at a specialist employment law firm in Reading where she acted for a wide range of clients on contentious and non-contentious employment law matters.
Alex enjoys delivering training to clients on current employment law and HR issues. Alex has a particular interest in complex discrimination claims and she is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Year of qualification: 2018
James Davies
Solicitor, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
James is a solicitor with over 15 years’ experience of employment law.
Before joining Cater Leydon Millard, James worked at international and national firms, as well as working in-house in London and Moscow for an investment bank.
James has advised a wide range of private and public sector clients, including in financial services, biotechnology, hospitality, health care / the NHS, and private equity. He has extensive experience in all aspects of employment law, including:
- employment tribunal litigation (often involving discrimination career loss claims)
- the enforcement of post-termination restrictions
- remuneration schemes and employee incentive plans
- TUPE transfers and the employment aspects of outsourcing arrangements
- corporate reorganisations / restructurings and redundancies
- data protection
James has advised on and managed a broad spectrum of employment matters, including:
- defending an unfair dismissal, sex discrimination and whistleblowing claim with a ten week hearing and involving complex Polkey, psychiatric injury, and mitigation issues
- defending a High Court breach of contract claim brought by the former Chief Economist of a global mining company for payment of a bonus claimed to be in excess of £500k
- advising on a team move of 20 literary agents and their establishment of an agency in competition with their former employer
- the employment aspects of a $500mn acquisition of a unionised steel plant
- an HMRC investigation into NMW compliance at the hotel and leisure subsidiary of a Premier League football club
He also has experience of workplace, private and judicial mediation, and provides bespoke training to our clients in many areas of employment law.
Adil Zaidi
Solicitor, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Adil is a solicitor with over 13 years’ experience in employment law.
He advises and litigates on all aspects of employment law for a wide range of employers including NHS Trusts, private healthcare providers, non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and household names in the retail industry.
Adil’s litigation experience includes cases all the way up to the Supreme Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union. He has worked with some of the most senior and well-respected employment barristers in the UK many of whom have now taken up full time judicial roles.
Adil also drafts settlement agreements, contracts of employment and HR policies for his clients.
Prior to joining CLM, Adil worked at the Government Legal Department for eight years where he was a Senior Employment Lawyer. He acted for a number of central government departments including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Home Office, Welsh Government, UK Space Agency and Ministry of Justice. He was also the principal employment lawyer for the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) including the Planning Inspectorate and the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation.
Adil acted for Respondents in a number of high profile claims including:
- Essop & others v. Home Office (Supreme Court) which clarified the evidential burden for indirect discrimination claims.
- Sargeant & others v. Secretary of State for the Home Department & Welsh Government & 49 Fire & Rescue Authorities (Court of Appeal) – circa 5,000 claimants bringing claims for direct age discrimination and indirect race and sex discrimination resulting from changes to pensions.
- McCloud & others v. the Lord Chancellor & Secretary of State for Justice (Court of Appeal) – circa 230 judges bringing claims for direct age discrimination and indirect race and sex discrimination resulting from changes to pensions.
- Aarons & others v. Secretary of State for the Home Department & 46 Police Forces– circa 20,000 police officers bringing claims for direct age discrimination and indirect race and sex discrimination resulting from changes to pensions.
- O’Brien v. Ministry of Justice (Court of Justice of the European Union) – sets out the law relating to retrospective rights under the Part Time Workers Directive.
Adil regularly devises and delivers training on employment law to HR professionals and line managers. Recent training has involved whistleblowing, discrimination and providing employment law updates.
Adil is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Nathan Millard
Director, Cater Leydon Millard Limited
Nathan is a Director and founder of Cater Leydon Millard and has over 25 years’ experience.
He has considerable experience of working with large and complex organisations in both the public and private sector and advises on a full range of employment law issues, almost exclusively for employers.
In particular, he specialises in advising on:
- outsourcing
- discrimination
- whistleblowing
- TUPE Safeguarding
- organisational change
- MHPS.
Nathan has particular expertise and experience in relation to matters involving healthcare providers, including those relating to medical practitioners.
Additionally he has an extensive education practice and is very familiar with the specific regulatory and legal issues affecting teachers and other staff. Within this practice he advises a number of the country’s leading independent schools.
Year of qualification: 1991
Nathan is ranked as a leading individual and recommended lawyer in both the Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 UK guides to top law firms.
Statutory Directors
Please see our statutory directors below:
- ESP Law Ltd – Gavin Snell, Andrew Gunson and Stephen Conlan
- The Employment Services Partnership Ltd – Adam Councell and Alexander Dacre
- ESP Safeguard Ltd – Gavin Snell and Andrew Gunson
Further details of the companies that make up esphr from WorkNest can be found here:
https://www.esphr.co.uk/website-terms-of-use