Case Studies

A global corporate needed representation in respect of ET claims for unfair dismissal, unpaid wages, and breaches of the redundancy consultation legislation during Covid, brought by 300 ex-employees via a trade union.  The claims are the most factually complex, document-heavy, and highest potential financial liability case that our experienced team has ever worked on.  

When we were approached, we found that our client was out of time for lodging their responses, having not received all the claim forms from the ET.   The client was also frustrated with the law firm it had been using for not being proactive enough.

During a PH, we successfully persuaded a Judge that the out-of-time Responses should be allowed, saving our client over £400,000 in terms of default judgement awards.  We now work towards a further PH and full hearing next year.

The case is particularly challenging for the team given the other side’s lack of responses, the Tribunal having administrative problems due to a backlog, and the sheer amount of data needing to be analysed.  To support our client, we spend regular time in-house to sit with the HR team and work through case details.

We are retained for a cleantech business that has created a revolutionary patented process, converting plant residues into high-value and sustainable biofuels. 

 As each member of our team is self-employed and entrepreneurial, with a good understanding of business, we offer a unique service to start-ups where we can support them strategically through rapid growth, focusing on people and culture, whilst ensuring at the same time the business is protected legally and in a strong position for any future sale.  

This business has scaled from 7 to 300 employees over the last two years and has received investment.  As well as keeping legal documents and HR policies up to date and providing advice, our qualified Mediator regularly supports the business with employee issues, to try to avoid legal issues but also ensure employees are fairly listened to.  

Although we do provide ET representation and advocacy services, this modern approach to disputes has already saved this client over £50,000 in potential compensation and legal fees in a case involving one of their senior managers, as well as recruitment costs.

The Charity faced a challenging situation when a key employee resigned abruptly on the grounds of constructive unfair dismissal during an investigation into a safeguarding case. The resignation letter cited mental health issues, which the employee had previously stated did not impact his work. Complicating matters, the employee had contacted the charity's funders, local church community, and trustees, alleging unfair treatment. This raised concerns about potential breaches of confidentiality and reputational damage. 

The Charity sought advice on whether to proceed with a disciplinary hearing in light of these allegations and how to manage future work reference requests, while safeguarding confidential information.

We reviewed the charity's disciplinary and safeguarding policies, as well as the employee's contract, to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory standards.

A leading marketing, communication, design, and print client in London, with over 22 years of experience, acquired a struggling print business from an Insolvency Practitioner (IP) in April 2023. Due to the nature of the acquisition, due diligence was minimal. This acquisition brought with it 16 staff, all working under a homeworker agreement that had been in place since late 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The agreement included a clause allowing for a return to office on three months' notice. Our client attempted to invoke this clause; however, it was met with widespread resistance from the employees towards a return to office working. 

We advised our client to start individual consultations towards the revocation of the homeworker agreement. The purpose was engaged with each staff member individually to understand their concerns regarding the return to office. A HR consultant from Hanlaw assisted in conducting these consultations. Responses varied from acceptance to return to office work to outright refusals and suggestions of breach of contract. We advised our client of the risks associated with enforcing a return to office work and encourage the possibility of continuing remote work for certain roles and/or offering flexible working arrangements.

During 2020-2021 the team was commissioned to run a change project for a luxury brand manufacturer in a UK-based part of their business. The brief was to redesign part of the business which employed over 180 staff, a proportion of which were Unite members. The exercise required all staff to be put at risk as new roles were being created and they had significantly different terms and conditions, pay structure and removal of a legacy bonus plan. We led the Leadership Team on articulating the business case both in terms of the benefits of the proposal and the associated risk to the Group CEO. The project required sign off from the European parent company due to the financial and litigation risk.
 

The project was more complex because it took place during lockdown when a significant number of staff were furloughed, flexi-furloughed or self-isolating, yet despite this it had a strict deadline for completion.

The Han Law Team ("the Team") has worked with one of the UK’s leading food companies during a period of major growth. Services included a change project to rationalise and revise terms and conditions across sites and business units including consultations with unions and employee representative groups. 

The team also provided 24 hour advice on HR/safety as well as case preparation and representation in employment litigation. The Company has since grown to be one of the major brands in the UK with current revenues of circa £325m, employing around 1,300 people in the UK across 8 locations within chilled, frozen and ambient food and drink categories.
 

We have also provided similar services to what is now the leading supplier of Asian foods in the UK. The team has also overseen the management of over 2500 employment tribunal cases including multiple claimant cases, interim relief, discrimination and other cases which have straddled employment, commercial and safety law.