Disciplinary and Grievance

If you are a business owner or HR manager, grievances and disciplinary issues can be disruptive and potentially damaging. Having the advice of an expert employment lawyer early on means you can handle difficult issues effectively before the issue becomes entrenched.

At Lawrence Stephens, our Employment team understand the challenges of managing disciplinary action and grievances and how important it is to resolve these promptly. We always work to find an acceptable solution quickly to prevent matters from escalating.

Our advice to you will be clear and pragmatic and we will always aim to find a resolution that avoids legal action where possible. We can advise you on best practice and help you put the right processes in place so that everyone involved understands their rights and responsibilities and how matters will be dealt with.

Services for employers and HR managers

When dealing with disciplinaries and grievances, it is crucial to follow your internal procedures, which should as a minimum follow the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures as well as comply with current employment legislation. Our team can guide you through the correct steps and ensure that you do not inadvertently expose yourself to the risk of a legal claim.

We provide a comprehensive service for all types of businesses, including in respect of:

• Advising on and managing disciplinary issues
• Advising on and managing grievances
• Drafting disciplinary and grievance procedures
• Employment appeals tribunals
• Employment tribunals
• High court cases
• Negotiating with employees’ solicitors where necessary
• Representing you in defending legal action by employees

Expert advice

We will assess the situation and advise you of your rights and responsibilities so that you have a full understanding of your position. Our recommendations will be practical and will take into account the strength of your case as well as your long-term strategy.

Wherever possible, we will work to resolve matters without the need for a hearing. If a hearing is necessary, you can be assured of robust representation.

If you need your own internal disciplinary and grievance procedures drafted, we will work with you to draw up a strong and compliant legal framework, giving you the best chance of avoiding issues in the future.

As well as a high level of expertise working for a range of business clients, including large companies, we work hard to provide outstanding service. We build strong working relationships as trusted advisers to the businesses we represent and if you need to discuss an issue, we will ensure we are available.

Our Head of Employment is a well-known expert in the field, regularly appearing on the Vanessa Feltz TV show where she discusses employment matters. You will also see our team represented in social media and in magazines and newspapers as recognised employment specialists.