Emma is a Partner in the Employment team advising Senior Executives and Employers across the full range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters. Her clients are from a variety of industry sectors including energy, financial services, real estate, media and entertainment, education, hospitality, manufacturing and charities.
Emma has significant expertise advising in relation to complex, high value discrimination and whistleblowing claims. She has a particular interest in working collaboratively with Senior Executives to identify and articulate effectively their claims in order to achieve the best outcome at the earliest possible stage. She is described by her clients as being “an outstanding lawyer providing clear, honest and pragmatic advice coupled with an empathetic and measured approach”. She is “exceptionally perceptive” and “has an excellent grasp of strategy and tactics”.
Emma is “incredibly knowledgeable and supportive” and has “a real depth of knowledge, particularly around disability discrimination”. She understands the stresses her clients face when asserting claims and is able to call on her expertise in this area to provide meaningful support in managing those stresses. She also works closely with businesses to find reasonable and practical solutions to the complex issues that can arise in relation to disabled employees.
Examples of Her Senior Executive Work:
- Advising a senior executive on their return to work following an extended period of absence due to disability and the duty to make reasonable adjustments, and in respect of claims in the Employment Tribunal for disability discrimination.
- Advising a senior banker at a major financial institution in respect of complex disability discrimination claims in the context of disciplinary proceedings for gross misconduct with criminal, high court and HMRC issues running in parallel.
- Advising a senior lawyer at a major financial institution in respect of claims for pregnancy/maternity discrimination in relation to the permanent recruitment of her maternity cover and related disability discrimination claims.
- Advising a director shareholder in respect of a disability discrimination claim with a view to recovering his shareholding.
- Advising the Chief Risk Officer of a large insurance company in respect of claims for whistleblowing.
Examples of Her Work For Businesses:
- Acting for a corporate client in the defence of claims for disability discrimination and unfair dismissal following a TUPE transfer, including successfully obtaining the strike out of disability discrimination claims at a preliminary stage.
- Representing a corporate client in the defence of a claim for constructive dismissal and sex discrimination following refusal of a request for flexible working on return from maternity leave, including successfully obtaining the strike out of the constructive dismissal claim at a preliminary hearing, and successfully defending the sex discrimination claim both at first instance and in the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT).
- Advising in respect of an institutional race discrimination allegations against a major financial institution.
- Advising on TUPE acquisitions including undertaking due diligence and negotiating the employment related terms in the APA.
- Advising on drafting and enforceability of restrictive covenants.
- Advising a modelling agency in respect of its terms and conditions with its models and end user clients.
- Advising an umbrella recruitment company in respect of its terms and conditions with workers.
"Emma Sangeelee is in demand for 'her expertise and her brilliance'"
Legal 500 UK 2022
Expertise
Discrimination
Whistleblowing
Misconduct/Performance Management
Severance Negotiations and Settlement Agreements
Restrictive Covenants
Partnership
Credentials
Recommended in Chambers UK 2023
Recommended as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ in Legal 500 UK 2023
Member of the Employment Lawyers Association
