Employment

We have significant experience working with insurers and brokers dealing closely with in-house lawyers and HR teams. We give employment advice General Council, HR directors and senior managers at Chubb, Markel, Arch, Liberty, Pembroke, Prosight, Ryan Speciality, AON, Lancashire, Lockton, Towergate, BIBA, Gerling.

We also assist the claims teams of a number of insurers on complex EPL claims and support corporate transactions in the UK and internationally, notably on high value cross-border deals. We also provide bespoke training sessions for our clients' HR and senior management teams on issues ranging from equal opportunities to team moves.

We have assisted a number of insurers in connection with their EPL policy wording and the launching of EPL products.

What we do

Protection of business interests and confidential information
Restrictive covenants
Directors' service agreements and employees' contracts of employment
Reorganisation
Outsourcing
Settlement agreements
Internal investigations
Regulation of Approved Persons
Discrimination
TUPE
Disciplinary procedures, grievances
Dismissal
Redundancy
Share schemes and incentive plans
Bonus schemes
Remuneration
Pensions

What our clients say about us

"Cath Thorpe 'takes "a logical, practical, commercial stance" and offers "prompt, constructive answers'" – Chambers UK 2012
"The team is 'reliable, pragmatic and understands the internal perspective of each client'" – Chambers UK 2011
"Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP provides 'value for money and good, pragmatic legal advice'" – The Legal 500, 2010 edition

Our experience

As well as day-to-day work with HR directors and General Counsel often working closely with CEO's, COO's, Chief Actuaries, FD's and other board members of some of our largest insurance clients on business critical matters
Working with a multi-disciplinary team from across RPC to advise two Lloyd's Agencies on separate Reinsurance To Close (RITC) transactions. Both of these deals gave rise to TUPE issues, for which we advised our clients on the employment status and continuing obligations relating to claim handlers whose subject business was being moved to the RITC purchaser
Advising on the settlement agreement for a Finance Director including drafting the agreement and managing the internal and external communication
Advising a number of US clients on UK start ups
Advising an insurance client on the outsourcing of its investment management function, a joint venture company between the insurance client and former members of its asset management team including the TUPE issues involved in the transfer to the new entity, and indemnities in relation to any subsequent termination of the arrangement
Advising on the TUPE implications of outsourcing, in particular a change of service provider, including resisting TUPE related claims. Assisting with the outsourcing of a client's back office function to India
Drafting directors service agreements and contracts of employment, employment policy and consultancy agreements.
Drafting and reviewing restrictive covenants and confidentiality clauses
Advising on restructuring and redundancy procedures both at a strategic level and providing day to day advice on process.
Dealing with terminations of senior employees and negotiating the severance terms.
Defending Employment Tribunal claims including substantial claims for compensation for age, disability and race discrimination. We are currently assisting an insurance client with a £1m age discrimination claim
Advising on highly sensitive team moves both to and from our clients and advising on whether employees have breached their duties of fidelity and/or their fiduciary duties and/or their restrictive covenants. This work is often highly emotive and generally must be handled with extreme urgency
Advising on a conspiracy and breach of intellectual property in connection with a team leaving our client to set up a start-up
Advising a large insurer in connection with the termination of employment of a senior employee in Bermuda
Advising on a high profile whistleblowing/ unfair dismissal claim by a former senior employee