Position: |
Partner |
Department: |
Employment & Immigration |
Email: |
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Telephone No: |
+44 20 7468 2710 |
Downloadable vCard: |
Rebecca Lake
Rebecca graduated from the University of Hertfordshire in 2001 with an Honours degree in Law with French, having spent a gap year working for a law firm in New York City. She trained at Seddons and qualified in 2004 where she was quickly promoted to Associate before joining Davenport Lyons in 2007. Rebecca became an Associate at Davenport Lyons in 2009, becoming Partner in 2013.
Rebecca’s practice covers both contentious and non-contentious issues acting for both employers and employees. Her particular focus is in employment tribunal litigation acting for employers and providing HR support to companies on a range of matters.
Recent litigation experience includes:
- Successfully defending a claim for unfair dismissal in the Glasgow Employment Tribunal for a manufacturing company;
- Successfully defending a claim for unfair dismissal and age discrimination on behalf of a property and construction consultancy firm;
- Successfully obtaining early strike out of a claim for unfair dismissal brought by an employee based in Abu Dhabi, on behalf of an international management, engineering and development consultancy company;
- Obtaining an early strike out of claim on behalf of a high street retailer facing claims for unfair dismissal and race discrimination;
- Acting for a leading hotel defending claims for unfair dismissal;
- Successfully defending a complex claim for constructive unfair dismissal and disability discrimination on behalf of a University where the Claimant was seeking over £200,000 in compensation and obtaining an award of costs in favour of our client;
- Successfully defending a claim for constructive unfair dismissal and unlawful deduction from wages on behalf of an Arm’s Length Management Organisation (who deal with housing on behalf of a Local Authority);
Rebecca’s practice includes:
- Defending and pursuing claims in the employment tribunals, including claims for unfair dismissal, breach of contract, sex discrimination and disability discrimination balancing the commercial realities of defending and pursuing claims against the important policy decision connected with continuing litigation;
- Providing regular support and advice to HR professionals, directors and senior managers dealing with disciplinary and grievance proceedings involving misconduct, poor performance and capability (e.g. long term sickness);
- Providing advice and drafting documentation for employers implementing business re-organisations and where necessary providing guidance on the requirements for collective and individual redundancy consultation;
- Reviewing staff handbooks and contracts of employment to ensure that they are legally compliant and afford the best possible protection for the company;
- Advising on the consequences of TUPE in relation to mergers and acquisitions and outsourcing;
- Drafting and advising on the implementation and negotiation of severance packages including, where necessary, the use of compromise agreements; and
- Drafting and advising on executive service contracts including advice on share option and bonus schemes and the use of restrictive covenants.
Rebecca is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association. She produces the department E-Ployment Update which updates clients by email on topics of interest in employment law. She has also had articles published in a variety of HR and Legal publications. You can also find some of the articles that Rebecca has written on our website.
Outside work Rebecca enjoys travelling and sports and leisure. She enjoys social netball (which basically means netball followed by a drink at the pub!), running and beginner triathlon events. She ran the London Marathon in 2011 and raised over £3,000 for her chosen charity, Cystic Fibrosis.
