COVID-19

During a challenging time for both Chambers and our clients, we have taken the necessary steps to operate Chambers remotely wherever possible. Our barristers and staff will be working from home, and only attending Chambers if essential. We have made this decision in the interests of safeguarding all parties who come in to contact with us, and to enable us to provide an effective service to all of our clients in these testing times. View our full information on Chambers operations.

Chambers is running an Employment Coronavirus Advisory Scheme, full details of the scheme can be accessed here.

Old Square also runs an ADR Mediation Service during these unprecedented times whilst courts and tribunals are unable to return fully to in-person hearings. Details of our Mediation Service can be accessed here.

If you have any queries in relation to COVID-19 or the services we provide, please email us.

News and Media

Our barristers continue to produce COVID-19 specific content on our website to keep our clients informed in this fast changing and uncertain market.

Members have also appeared on various media outlets including: Martin Lewis: Money Saving Expert; ITV News; Channel 5 News as well as webinars and podcasts.

Please click on one of the articles below for full information:

• Webinar: Bella Webb is speaking in the MBL webinar on “Cancer Diagnosis/Treatment & COVID-19 – What Lies Ahead?” – 5th October 2021
• Webinar: Elizabeth Melville shared her views on “Safeguarding employee mental health in the COVID era” in IER’s webinar – 13th May 2021
• Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 – by Rebecca Tuck QC – 10th May 2021
• Elizabeth Melville is speaking at IEL’s webinar “Safeguarding employee mental health in the COVID era” – 19th April 2021
• Event: IWD 2021 – Continuing to Work during COVID – 17th March 2021
• Coronavirus Update: Chambers Operations – Please Read – 05th January 2021
• Mock Trial: Neuropsychological testing in the COVID age: the case for teleneuropsychology – 30th November 2020
• OSC successful in ground-breaking challenge to Government failure to extend H&S protections to workers during COVID-19 pandemic – 13th November 2020
• Employment Tribunal Procedure in a pandemic: Part 2 – 07th October 2020
• Employment Tribunal procedure in a pandemic: Part 1 – 28th September 2020
• OSC instructed in challenge to PPE Guidance for Health & Social Care Workers in the context of COVID-19 – 28th July 2020
• The challenges facing any judge-led public inquiry into COVID-19 – 15th July 2020
• Judgment in challenge to exclusion of workers from sick pay & income protection during pandemic – 22nd June 2020
• OSC instructed in challenge to JRS and extended SSP regime in the context of COVID-19 pandemic – 11th June 2020
• Knowing the risks – foreseeability of stress related illness in the time of COVID-19 – 26th May 2020
• OSC instructed in challenge to failure to extend H&S protections to workers during COVID-19 pandemic – 22nd May 2020
• The Implied Term of Trust and Confidence and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: a Reply – 19th May 2020
• Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (‘SEISS’) – 13th May 2020
• OSC instructed in challenge to exclusion of workers from sick pay and CJRS during COVID-19 pandemic – 11th May 2020
• Personal protective equipment and the law (Law Society Gazette) – 5th May 2020
• Lord Hendy QC, Michael Ford QC and Stuart Brittenden feature in the House of Commons CJRS Briefing Paper – 29th April 2020
• Michael Ford QC contributes on pregnant women’s rights during COVID-19 pandemic – Maternity Action – 23rd April 2020
• Breaking News: Chancellor extends furlough scheme to the end of June – 17th April 2020
• Coronavirus and employer’s liability, some likely issues – 17th April 2020
• The implied term of trust and confidence & the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – 14th April 2020
• Pandemic Law by Twitter: How the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has already changed – 6th April 2020
• Furloughing and Fundamental Rights: The Case of Paid Annual Leave (UK Labour Law Blog) – 6th April 2020
• Protection of pregnant women at work during COVID-19 pandemic (Maternity Action Group) – 3rd April 2020
• Not Legislating in a Crisis? The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Part 2 – (UK Labour Law Blog) – 31st March 2020
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – The Last Frontier? – 30th March 2020
• The Bar in the time of coronavirus (Counsel Magazine) – 27th March 2020
• The Coronavirus: Rights to Leave the Workplace & Strikes (UK Labour Law Blog) – 27th March 2020
• Legislating in Times of Crisis: The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (UK Labour Law Blog) – 25th March 2020
• OSC instructed in challenge to Coronavirus Bill exclusion of gig economy workers and the very low paid – 24th March 2020