Georgina Leadbetter

Georgina has a busy and wide-ranging employment practice. She is regularly instructed as sole counsel in complex multi-day proceedings including whistleblowing, discrimination, unfair dismissal, TUPE, and employment status disputes.

Georgina’s cases frequently involve issues of particular sensitivity, such as claims brought by or against senior executives, allegations with potential regulatory implications, and tribunal claims brought in the context of High Court or criminal proceedings.

Along with David Reade KC and Grahame Anderson, Georgina is Editor of the Butterworths Employment Law Handbook.

Cases include:

• Moretti v Davide Leone & Partners and others: Represented hedge fund defending claims, including discrimination and whistleblowing claims, said to be worth £100 million. Following a five week trial all claims failed, save that the Claimant’s dismissal was found to have procedurally unfair and a basic award of £1286 was made. The Respondents have since secured an order for detailed assessment of 70% of their £2.3m costs bill. Georgina was led by David Reade KC (2025-2026)
• Acting for a bank defending discrimination claims (2026, sole counsel)
• Acted for a law firm defending sex, maternity and disability discrimination claims. The case settled pending the determination of the firm’s strike out application (2026, sole counsel)
• Representing a corporate client and individual Respondents in relation to unfair dismissal and whistleblowing claims brought by the former Chief Operating Officer (2025-2026, sole counsel)
• Defending a university against claims of unfair dismissal and discrimination (case settled shortly before trial) (2025, sole counsel)
• Representing a senior executive bringing claims of race discrimination and constructive unfair dismissal against a well-known organisation (2025, sole counsel)
• Part of legal team defending a high-profile individual against allegations of sexual harassment (2024-2025).
• Acting for a bank defending allegations of discrimination (2024, sole counsel)
• Representing a university and individual members of staff defending claims of unfair dismissal and whistleblowing brought by an academic. After Georgina obtained deposit orders, the Claimant withdrew all claims (2024, sole counsel)
• Representing a former partner in a law firm in tribunal proceedings against the firm (sole counsel, 2024)
• Iturralde v Ruby Labs Ltd: Represented mobile technology company in five day trial of unfair dismissal and whistleblowing claims brought by former senior advisor. Successfully resisted all claims and obtained finding that the Claimant had tried to blackmail and extort money from the Respondent (sole counsel, 2022)
• Bashova v Sovrn UK Ltd: Represented technology platform in sex discrimination claims brought in context of redundancy exercise. Defeated all claims and obtained costs order (sole counsel, 2022)
• Scheldebouw v Evanson[2022] EAT 157: Acted in appeal to the EAT on point concerning scope of without prejudice privilege (sole counsel, 2022)
• Represented technology company in whistleblowing dispute with former senior employee (with concurrent dispute regarding share options). Settled shortly before trial (sole counsel, 2022)
• Advising a director, shareholder and employee of a property development group on employment aspects of a multi-million pound dispute (sole employment counsel, 2022)
• Osborne v British Airways PLC: Represented British Airways in three day trial of trade union blacklisting claims (sole counsel, 2021)
• Royal Mail Group Ltd v Efobi[2021] 1 W.L.R. 3863 (led by David Reade KC and David Flood): Represented the successful Respondent in Supreme Court appeal confirming that the introduction of the Equality Act 2010 did not fundamentally change the operation of the burden of proof in discrimination claims.
• Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake[2021] I.C.R. 758 (led by David Reade KC and Niran de Silva): Represented the successful Respondent in Supreme Court appeal regarding the applicability of the national minimum wage regime to sleep-in shifts. This appeal was a landmark case for the care sector and was one of The Lawyer’s Top Appeals of 2020
• Acting for a partner in a law firm bringing sex discrimination and whistleblowing proceedings against the firm (2020).
• Representing a CEO dismissed for alleged financial mismanagement in unfair dismissal claim (2018, sole counsel against a silk).
• Egbayelo v Ocado: Representing the successful Respondent in the Employment Appeal Tribunal in an appeal concerning contractual variation (2019, sole counsel).
• Acting for a regulator in proceedings relating to a number of discrimination claims in the employment tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal (2018, sole counsel).
• Vigo v London Underground Ltd: Obtained reinstatement for Claimant, a tube driver (2018, sole counsel, against counsel of 2004 call).
• Acted for the Respondents in two claims brought by Claimants with schizophrenia, relating to perceived campaigns of surveillance and discrimination (2018, sole counsel).
• Boath v Barclays:Whistleblowing and bonus claims relating to events of 2008 and SFO investigation (see coverage here) (2016, led by Jonathan Cohen KC).
• Department of Work and Pensions v MughalUKEAT/0343/15/JOJ: Represented the Claimant in full hearing before the Employment Appeal Tribunal concerning reinstatement and contributory fault (2016, sole counsel).
• McAlinden v Lazarov and others: Represented the successful Respondent in the first case on whether fringe theatre actors in a profit share production are workers. This case generated national interest and was reported by the BBC, The Independent and The Stage (2015, sole counsel).

Georgina is a reviewer of employment cases for Advocate, and a member of the ELAAS pro bono scheme at the Employment Appeal Tribunal.

Georgina has a particular interest in High Court business protection involving restrictive covenants, duties of confidentiality, and fiduciary duties. She has experience of applications both on notice and without notice, evidence preservation (including affidavits and imaging orders), springboard relief, preparation for speedy trial, and committal proceedings.

Much work of this nature settles in advance of trial and remains confidential.

Georgina’s experience includes:

• Represented client seeking damages for breach of covenants in relation to suspected team move (2025-2026, led by Adam Solomon KC)
• Represented a professional services firm seeking to enforce post-termination restraints (2024, led by Adam Solomon KC)
• Representing a household name company seeking to enforce restrictive covenants and obligations of confidentiality against an employee alleged to have taken confidential information to a competitor (led by Gavin Mansfield KC, 2022)
• Represented an individual accused of unlawful post-termination conduct and successfully avoided proceedings being brought (sole counsel, 2022)
• Pulse Healthcare Ltd v Medilink Consulting Ltd: Obtained springboard relief and other remedies for a healthcare recruitment company against a team of departing employees and their new employer (led by David Reade KC, 2021)
• Represented an employer client pursing a former employee, prepared application and obtained undertakings to the court (sole counsel, 2021)
• Acted for a recruitment agency seeking to enforce restrictive covenants against departing employees (sole counsel, 2020)
• Instructed by the Claimant in a restrictive covenant dispute regarding whether covenants were entered into at all (sole counsel, 2019)
• Acted for the Claimant in insurance industry claim relating to breach of non-compete and confidentiality restrictions (led by Adam Solomon KC, 2019)
• Seeking injunctive relief to enforce restrictive covenants (led by Gavin Mansfield KC, 2017)
• Arthur J Gallagher Insurance Brokers Ltd and others v Aston Scott Group Ltd and others [2016] EWHC QB: Resisting insurance industry team move conspiracy injunction (led by Gavin Mansfield KC)

Georgina has experience of acting in partnership and LLP disputes. She represents partners and firms in disputes in the High Court and employment tribunal (often in concurrent proceedings) and has particular experience of acting for and against law firms. Her work involves a broad range of issues including partner expulsion, breach of duties, discrimination, and restrictive covenants.

• Representing an LLP member in arbitral proceedings challenging the validity of his expulsion. Settled shortly before trial (2026, led by Craig Rajgopaul KC);
• Representing an expelled LLP member in employment tribunal proceedings against his former firm (2025, sole counsel)

Georgina acts in commercial disputes in the High Court and County Court, including claims concerning breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties and unlawful means conspiracy.

Georgina’s employment law experience makes her particularly well placed to act in High Court or County Court disputes with a connection to an employment relationship, including remuneration disputes concerning bonuses, long-term incentive plans, and share options.

Recent cases include:

• Assisting with preparation of fraudulent misrepresentation claim (2025)
• Defending High Court bonus dispute (2025, led by David Reade KC)
• Acting for an employer pursuing claims of breaches of fiduciary duty and unlawful means conspiracy against former senior employees (led by David Reade KC, 2022)
• Acting for a senior employee suing a household name company for sums due under long-term incentive plan (sole counsel, 2022)
• Represented technology company in dispute with former senior employee concerning share options (with concurrent whistleblowing complaint). Settled shortly before trial (sole counsel, 2022)
• Advised law firm defending claims for unpaid commission (sole counsel, 2021)