Meet Joanne
As a Senior Associate in the Employment team at Lawrence Stephens, I advise businesses and individuals across a wide range of sectors — including financial services, manufacturing, technology, recruitment, education, retail, hospitality and charities —on all aspects of employment law. My practice spans the full employment lifecycle, from drafting contracts and policies to resolving complex disputes and negotiating high-value exits.
I bring a strategic and empathetic approach to every matter, combining legal precision with commercial pragmatism. Clients value my ability to anticipate risk, navigate sensitive issues, and deliver practical, sector-specific solutions.
I have particular expertise in:
- Workplace conflict including discrimination, harassment and whistleblowing;
- Employment tribunal litigation and dispute resolution;
- Executive terminations and settlement negotiations; and
- TUPE and the employment aspects of corporate transactions.
I also provide training to business leaders on employment law compliance and I regularly comment on legal developments, including the evolving legal landscape as the Employment Rights Act comes into view.
Before joining Lawrence Stephens in 2023, I trained and qualified at a mid-size City firm and practised at a specialist employment law firm. I also ran a successful tuition business for 14 years, which gives me deep insight into the priorities of owner-managed businesses.
I am also a proud mother of three marvellous children and a mental health first aider. Outside of work, I enjoy dancing, travel and discovering new theatre productions. My superpower? Picking the perfect book for any reader—adult or child!
Experience highlights
- Advising on the strategy and legal issues associated with the move of senior executives to a competitor in the financial services sector.
- Negotiating a complex and high-value exit package for the outgoing CEO of a global professional services and technology firm, settling potential unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and breach of contract claims.
- Securing the strike out and withdrawal of unmeritorious claims against a recruitment company client at the preliminary stage of legal proceedings.
- Successfully representing a hospitality chain in a series of coordinated service provision race discrimination claims brought by a group of customers.
