Andrew Lightburn is an Associate Director and Head of Employment at MKB Law. Andrew has over 20 years’ experience practising exclusively in employment law. He is dual-qualified in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.

He has particular expertise in employment litigation especially high value and complex whistleblowing and discrimination claims. He has acted in a number of high-profile claims for clients ranging from PLC’s to SME’s, football clubs, as well as high profile individuals in the music, sport and technology sectors.

Andrew is also instructed by companies or senior executives to advise and represent them in negotiating high value severance packages often with associated shareholder matters. He also regularly supports on corporate transactional work as well as insolvency matters, and his expertise in TUPE in relation to these matters is frequently called upon.

Employment Work:

 Representing clients in the Employment Tribunals;
 Representing clients in the negotiation and drafting of compromise agreements;
 Advising on the enforceability of employment restrictive covenants;
 Providing general employment law/HR advice;
 Advising on disciplinary and grievance procedures;
 Preparation of employment documentation including contracts, handbooks and policies;
 Advising on employment status including IR35 issues;
 Advising on specific and large-scale HR projects such as redundancy/restructuring;
 Advising on employment issues including TUPE relating to company acquisitions and disposals often with an insolvency angle;
 Advising on Trade Union matters.

Significant Cases:

 Representing the Governor of the Tower of London in a high profile and well publicised whistleblowing case (Major General Cima v Historic Royal Palaces);

 Representing an NHS Manager in an age discrimination case which resulted in one of the largest awards of compensation and in particular injury to feelings at that time (Sturdy v Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust);

 Representing a high-profile technology entrepreneur and his businesses in a race discrimination claim and additionally representing the company in litigation arising from the dismissal of a PLC board director – successfully obtaining a costs order against the dismissed director.

 Acted for the Respondent in what was at the time the leading case on the application of TUPE insolvency provisions (Oakland v Wellswood)

 Acting for the Claimant in an important Working Time Regulation case concerning rest breaks in the security industry (Ruddick v Reliance Security)

 Previously instructed in one of the largest pieces of Equal Pay litigation in the private sector (Brierly & Others v Asda Stores)

Memberships:
Law Society of Northern Ireland, Law Society of England & Wales, Employment Lawyers Association

Outside Interests:
Andrew enjoys spending time with family, supporting Sunderland FC, wine tasting and watching seventies science fiction!