Serena Crawshay-Williams

Serena acts for claimants and respondents in the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal and Court of Appeal. She is frequently led by senior members of Chambers. Her led work includes the following:

• Successfully represented Mrs Parmar in the ET (sole counsel), EAT (led by Deshpal Panesar KC, Leicester City Council v Mrs B Parmar [2024] I.C.R. 1115) and the Court of Appeal (led by Deshpal Panesar KC, Leicester City Council v Parmar [2025] I.C.R. 1581). The case concerned race discrimination and the burden of proof in s.136 of the Equality Act 2010.
• Instructed to appear in the EAT in an appeal involving the correct approach to applications to amend a Claim Form (ongoing).
• Instructed to appear in the EAT in an appeal involving time limits in respect of the EAT’s discretion to extend time to lodge an appeal (ongoing).
• Acting for a group of doctors bringing breach of contract, rectification and unjust enrichment claims in the High Court, led by Jack Mitchell (ongoing).
• Drafted pleadings in a case involving more than 2,000 claimants bringing claims of unlawful inducement, ordinary and automatic unfair dismissal, detriment (s.146(1)(b), TULRCA 1992), and detriment related to a prohibited list (reg 9(1), Blacklists Regulations 2010) for Oliver Segal KC.
• Assisted in a whistleblowing claim involving a review of 20,000+ documents in which allegations extending over seven years were made against seven respondents, led by Nadia Motraghi KC.
• Drafted witness statements for a whistleblowing claim for Rebecca Tuck KC and Laith Dilaimi.
• Drafted pleadings for a high-value sex discrimination claim for Rebecca Tuck KC.
• Undertook legal research into Article 1, Protocol 1 of the European Convention of Human Rights in the context of a group holiday pay claim for Melanie Tether and Oliver Segal KC.
• Assisted Jack Mitchell in a high-profile investigation involving discrimination.
• Drafted pleadings for a complex whistleblowing claim for Rebecca Tuck KC.

Serena is co-author of the Westlaw Insight articles on: contracts of employment, gratuities and tips, holiday pay, national minimum wage, reinstatement and re-engagement, shop stewards, trade unions, unlawful deductions of wages, wages, and workforce agreements.

Serena was instructed by UNISON, led by Michael Ford KC and Stuart Brittenden KC, in a claim for judicial review of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses (Amendment) Regulations 2022. The Regulations were successfully quashed (R (on the application of ASLEF) v Secretary of State for Business and Trade [2023] I.C.R. 1405)

Serena was instructed by UNISON, led by Michael Ford KC and Stuart Brittenden KC, in a claim for judicial review of The Restriction of Public Sector Exit Payments Regulations 2020. In February 2021, the Government revoked the Regulations.

Serena assisted Ben Collins KC, Nadia Motraghi KC, Eleena Misra KC and Rachel Owusu-Agyei in Adiatu v HM Treasury [2020] EWHC 1554 (Admin), a case concerning an application for judicial review in a challenge to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Statutory Sick Pay regimes that excluded workers not paid by PAYE.

Serena drafted an advice for Ben Collins KC in respect of the draft Online Safety Bill.

• Two members of Old Square appear in the Court of Appeal
• Old Square Chambers announces the launch of a new Employment Law Podcast
• Old Square success in the EAT, establishing guidance on the burden of proof
• Members of Old Square Chambers successful in judicial review of agency worker regulations
• Eight members of Old Square Chambers act in judicial review concerning the Restriction of Public Sector Exit Payments Regulations 2020