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Verity Slater
Partner
verity slater

Verity is an experienced partner who helps resolve disputes between businesses and employees, whether before or through employment tribunal cases. She also works in partnership with businesses to proactively improve their HR practices, with a particular emphasis on ethical people management – to create happy and engaged workforces. She also is an expert on employment issues arising in commercial transactions.

She is recognised in the Legal 500 as a leader in her field as ‘highly skilled’, who is rated for her ‘clarity and precision’. She seeks effective solutions for each client’s unique circumstance.

Verity qualified as a solicitor in September 2002 after training in a large national law firm. She has a Law Degree from the University of East Anglia (Norwich – LLB (Hons)) and obtained a distinction in the Legal Practice Course at the University of the West of England (Bristol).

Recent work includes:

  • Providing day to day practical guidance to employers and HR officers on handling tricky employment law issues, including whistleblowing, stress and discrimination complaints
  • Leading on large scale workforce transformation and redundancy processes, including collective consultation with Trade Unions
  • Helping senior executives negotiate an exit from their position whilst achieving a favourable departure package and settlement agreement
  • Assisting those buying and selling businesses comply with the TUPE regulations, undertake consultation with employees and advising them on appropriate protective clauses to be included in the commercial agreements
  • Advising a business in respect of an employee who had gone to work for a competitor in breach of their restrictive covenants, securing a stop to that work and obtaining compensation for the company for the unlawful disclosure of confidential information
  • Drafting restrictive covenants for senior executives for a Europe-wide business, to control damaging competition across various specific geographical areas
  • Defending employees against allegations of gross misconduct and breach of regulatory duty, including representing employees through national processes that seek to bar them from their chosen profession
  • Obtaining employment tribunal compensation for employees where they have been badly treated by their employer or colleagues
  • Defending employment tribunal claims for Employers for breach of contract, unfair dismissal, discrimination and whistleblowing, including undertaking Tribunal advocacy where appropriate.

A keen sailor from Falmouth, Verity is a member of the marine team and is passionate and knowledgeable about businesses in and around the water. She helps marine businesses where employees have breached marine regulatory requirements or are not performing. She also assists yacht and sailing clubs facing disputes or employment tribunal claims.

She also regularly acts for clients in the healthcare, retail, food and drink, charitable and education sectors.

Verity is a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association. She is also a charity trustee for the Cornwall Community Foundation.

Increasingly, organisations and business leaders are no longer measuring success solely from the annual accounts, but whether they have a defined positive purpose, whether that purpose is being met and what the organisation’s impact is. As one of our B Corp™ Champions, Verity is knowledgeable and passionate about helping you build your own purpose and positive impact – at whatever stage of this you are at.

Verity’s personal testimonials:

Chambers and Partners (2024) – “She is a fantastic professional who gives a great all-round service.” “She provides commercial and direct advice.”

Chambers and Partners (2023)“It is reassuring to have Verity as our contact; she is fabulous in sorting out issues and cutting to the point.” “She provides straightforward, practical and commercial advice.”

Chambers and Partners (2022) – Verity Slater is regularly called upon to defend clients facing Employment Tribunal claims involving discrimination, victimisation and unfair dismissal allegations. She also advises on senior employee exits, TUPE transfers and data protection matters.

Legal 500 (2022) – Verity Slater is well regarded for her expertise in working with marine sector clients.

“I really value Verity’s practical, commercial and jargon free approach – and how she applies her knowledge of our business and doesn’t sit on the fence. She is accessible and responsive, and ensures all of her team are on top of our matters.”

Keith Surgenor, Head of HR Operations, Seasalt, October 2021

Chambers and Partners (2021) – Verity is regularly called upon to defend clients facing employment tribunal claims involving discrimination, victimisation and unfair dismissal allegations. She also advises on senior employee exits, TUPE transfers and data protection matters. “She has the best interests of the organisation in mind when giving advice.”

Chambers and Partner (2020) – Verity is named as a ranked lawyer. Chambers states Verity is praised by clients for her “very proactive, realistic, energetic and practical” approach to instructions. She is particularly known for her expertise in the marine and healthcare sectors, advising on everything from tribunal claims to TUPE issues.

Chambers and Partners (2019) – Verity represents many of Cornwall and South Devon’s most iconic large employers, as well as a number of schools and growth-stage businesses. She is valued by clients for her ability to provide “pertinent employment law advice, and her willingness to go out of her way to offer support with difficult cases.”

 

Outside of work Verity likes racing and sailing on the Carrick Roads, surfing, singing in the firm’s choir, camping in beautiful Cornwall and spending time with her family.

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