Profile description
By instructing a barrister like Keith directly instead of going to a solicitor first you can save up to 50% on your legal bill. Keith will usually review papers and then provide you with a fixed fee so you don’t have to worry about costs escalating.
He has particular specialisms in representing and advising in relation to:
- Settlement Agreements – helping you to negotiate the best terms possible, often including a reference and a tax-free payment.
- Employment Law – advice for Employees – Keith will advise you on your rights and whether you have a strong case against your employer
- Employment Law – advice for Employers – Keith advises employers on how to stay out of employment tribunals and how to win cases that have already been brought.
- Professional Partnerships – advising outgoing partners and remaining partners in medical, dental, accountancy, architects, veterinary and chartered surveyors’ practices;
- Employment Law – advice for Senior Executives in relation to breach of employment contract, share options or unfair (including constructive) dismissal and the enforcability of restrictive covenants;
- Company Law – advice for Shareholdes and Directors in Private Limited Companies in relation to their employment contracts, shareholders’ agreements, share option agreements and directors’ fiduciary duties.
Commercial background:
Before coming to the Bar Keith enjoyed rapid progress in a career as a business executive and entrepreneur.
Highlights are:
Aged 23 – Account Director at Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising.
Aged 26 – Co-founder and Joint Managing Director – Sutch Webster Direct. Subsequently ranked the UK’s No.5 Direct Marketing agency in 1993 – working inter alia for Virgin Atlantic, Natwest, RAC and Fedex (to name drop just a bit!);
Aged 32 – Subsidiary Commercial Director – Great Universal Stores PLC – Managing budgets of £25m and staff of over 1200 in the UK and Ireland;
Aged 37 – Interim turnaround specialist – bringing ailing companies back to health. Most significantly Vetstream PLC – turned from losses into profitability and a trade sale.
He was called to the Bar in 2006, in his early-forties, and has practiced mainly in employment law, discrimination law and commercial law ever since.
In his spare time he keeps dogs and ducks; sometimes rides horses; cooks casseroles and curries; and likes to travel.
He has acted as a Director and Trustee of The Labrador Rescue Trust Limited for over 10 years – a charity responsible for the rescue and re-homing of over 10,000 abused or neglected dogs. He is currently its Chairman. www.labrador-rescue.com