Jeremy Lewis KC

King's Counsel

Call: 1992 | Silk: 2022

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Overview

Jeremy is a leading practitioner in the employment law and business protection fields, and related cross-over work, commercial litigation and sports law.  He is recognised for his strategic insight, robust advocacy and a user-friendly approach.  He has particular areas of expertise in TUPE, whistleblowing, business protection/ injunctive relief and discrimination.

He is the Editor of the Sweet & Maxwell loose-leaf book on Transfer of Undertakings and lead author of the seminal work on Whistleblowing (OUP, 2022).  He is also a significant contributor to Bloch and Brearley on “Employment Covenants and Confidential Information” (Bloomsbury, 2018), including chapters on the duty of fidelity, fiduciary duties, express covenants and final remedies, and is also a contributor to leading works on Business Protection and on Corporate Insolvency (Lightman and Moss, 2017).  He is a fee paid employment judge, sitting in Watford, and an accredited mediator.

Expertise

Employment

Jeremy is a leading practitioner in the employment law field, covering all forms of employment law in the civil courts and employment tribunal, and before the CAC. He has acted in a number of the landmark cases in the field, and is particularly noted for his expertise in relation to transfer of undertakings, whistleblowing, business protection and discrimination.

  • United Kapital Ltd v Bolaji and Sedulo Group Ltd [2025] EWHC 1726 (springboard and other injunctive relief in the context of claims of breach of confidentiality, infringement of database rights and post-termination covenants)
  • MacLennan v British Psychological Society [2025] ICR 977 (EAT) (acting on behalf of Protect, intervening, in a decision opening the door to whistleblowing protection for charity trustees)
  • Djalo v Secretary of State for Justice [2025] EAT 67 (scope of cross-employer discrimination claims).
  • United Kapital Ltd v Bolaji and Sedulo Group Ltd [2025] EWHC 1726 (springboard and other injunctive relief in the context of claims of breach of confidentiality, infringement of database rights and post-termintion covenants)
  • MTN-1 Ltd v O’Daly [2022] EAT 130 (successfully overturning rejection of appeal as out of time, due to impact of appellant’s ADHD).
  • Fallahi v TWI Ltd [2021] EAT (re the test for whether it is possible to look behind a final written warning in an unfair dismissal claim).
  • Driscoll v V & P Global Ltd [2021] IRLR 891 (EAT) (important decision establishing, contrary to previous authority, the right to bring constructive dismissal harassment claims).
  • Slade v Biggs [2022] IRLR 216 (EAT) (decision setting out important guidance on aggravated damages awards).
  • Ibrahim v HCA International Limited [2020] IRLR 224 (CA): successful appeal in a whistleblowing claim, an important authority on the approach to the public interest test.
  • Augustine v Econnect Cars Limited UKEAT/0231/18/OO, 20 December 2019, gig economy appeal, establishing claimant was a part-time worker
  • Chumber v Hestia Healthcare Limited UKEAT/0229/18/LA, 22 February 2019, successful appeal against rejection of disability discrimination reasonable adjustment and whistleblowing claims.
  • Born London Ltd v Spire Production Services Ltd [2017] I.C.R. 998; [2017] I.R.L.R. 493 (EAT): successful in the first appellate decision on employee liability information obligations
  • Mehan and others v Visage Limited and another [2017] EWHC 2734 (obtaining extensive injunctive relief in the context of a team move in the clothing sector, and setting out guidance on provision of information orders).
  • Jinks v Havering LBC UKEAT/0085/17/JOJ, 14 November 2017 successfully upholding the dismissal of the claim based on a service provision change under TUPE and obtaining an award of costs against the claimant.
  • NHS 24 v PillarUKEATS/0005/16/JW, 21 April 2017 – successfully reversing the unfair dismissal decision on appeal.
  • Summan v University of Lincolnshire(Claim No. D00LN154, Lincoln County Court, 27 April 2017 – successfully defeating an application for an injunction to prevent internal disciplinary proceedings continuing
  • Muzi-Mabaso v Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise [2015] UKEAT/0353/14/DA, 13 November 2015 – successfully overturning in part the first instance decision to reject disability discrimination claims.
  • Smith v Carillion [2015] I.R.L.R. 467 (Court of Appeal) – together with John Bowers KC, successfully resisting the claim based on blacklisting victimisation on the basis of lack of worker status.
  • Underwood v Wincanton Plc[2015] UKEAT/0163/15/RN, 27 August 2015 (EAT) – one of the first decisions on the public interest test for whistleblowing.
  • Services for Education (S4E) Limited v (1) White and (2) Birmingham City Council UKEAT/0024/15/DM – an important decision on the issue of continuity of employment on a transfer of an undertaking
  • MacIntosh v National Waiting Times Centre Board UKEATS/0001/15/SM – a successful appeal in relation to claims of discrimination arising from disability and disability related harassment.
  • McCabe v Greater Glasgow Health Board UKEATS/0004/14/SM Langstaff J (unfair dismissal and disability discrimination)
  • Ashworth v Royal National Theatre[2014] 4 All E.R. 238 (resisting application for injunction seeking to require continued employment of the band in “Warhorse”).
  • Tullet Prebon v BGC Brokers(acting for the ten brokers moving to BGC against whom extended garden leave injunctions were sought)
  • Celtec and others v Astley(House of Lords and European Court of Justice): This is the leading case on timing of a transfer, establishing the principle that there must be a single date for the transfer and the test as to how that date is to be ascertained. The reasoning in the case is also important in relation to the scope for employees to opt out of the transfer, and lies at the heart of argument in subsequent cases as to the validity of secondments in a TUPE context.
  • Matthews v Kent and Medway Town Fire Authority House of Lords, the leading case on the Part Time Workers Regulations
  • Sodexo Limited v Gutridge and others(Court of Appeal): The leading authority on the approach to equal pay time limits in a TUPE context.
  • Kuzel v Roche Products Limited (CA), which is the leading case on burden of proof in protected disclosure claims
  • R v CAC ex parte Kwik Fit(GB) Limited (CA) (an important decision on the correct approach to determination of a collective bargaining unit)
  • R v CAC ex parte BBC (concerning whether, for the purposes of trade union recognition, cameramen were to be regarded as professionals)
Business Protection & Injunctions

Jeremy regularly acts in claims for and resisting injunctive relief, primarily in cases involving restraint of trade, confidentiality, intellectual property and fiduciary duty issues concerning employees, directors and/or shareholders, partners or vendor/purchaser cases.  He is co-author of five chapters in Brearley and Bloch, “Employment covenants and confidential information”  (Bloomsbury, 4th ed 2018) relating to:

  • The duty of fidelity;
  • Fiduciary duties;
  • Reasonableness of express covenants;
  • Introducing/ varying covenants; and
  • Final remedies
  • United Kapital Ltd v Bolaji and Sedulo Group Ltd [2025] EWHC 1726 (springboard and other injunctive relief in the context of claims of breach of confidentiality, infringement of database rights and post-termintion covenants)
  • Mehan and others v Visage Limited and another [2017] EWHC 2734 (obtaining extensive injunctive relief in the context of a team move in the clothing sector, and setting out guidance on provision of information orders).
  • Summan v University of Lincolnshire(Claim No. D00LN154, Lincoln County Court, 27 April 2017 – successfully resisting a claim for injunctive relief to prevent internal disciplinary proceedings continuing against a University lecturer.
  • Tullet Prebon v BGC Brokers(acting for the ten brokers moving to BGC against whom extended garden leave injunctions were sought)
  • Ashworth v Royal National Theatre[2014] 4 All E.R. 238 (resisting application for injunction seeking to require continued employment of the band in “Warhorse”).
Commercial Litigation

Relevant areas include commercial contract disputes, director disputes and fiduciary duties, shareholder disputes and corporate insolvency.  Jeremy is the author of the chapter on employees and insolvency in Lightman and Moss, “The Law of Administrators and Receivers of Companies” (Sweet and Maxwell, 6th edition, 2017 and forthcoming 7th edition) and the chapter on Fiduciary Duties in Bloch and Brearley on “Employment covenants and confidential information”  (Bloomsbury, 4th ed 2018).

  • Klaturov v Revetas Captial Advisors LLP [2023] EWHC 2671 (implication of terms in an LLP agreement)
  • Paul Wurth Limited and others v Siemens VAI Metals Technologies Limited(CA) (interim injunction and dispute as effect of without prejudice communications)
  • I-Way Limited v World Online Telecom Limited(Commercial Court) (misrepresentation, implication of contractual terms, estoppel)
  • Zakharov v White (interim injunction/ lawfulness of bench warrant/commercial fraud)
Sport

Jeremy has acted in a variety of sports cases including:

  • member of Sports Resolutions pro-bono panel
  • discrimination and harassment claim relating to senior figure in F1
  • advised on behalf of England cricketers suspended from national selection.
  • a challenge to withdrawal of funding by British Swimming: Tancock v British Swimming SR/0000720014 (Mr David Phillips KC)
  • wrongful dismissal by football managers
  • disputes as to television rights relating to Premier League teams
  • disputes over renewal of central contracts
  • personal injury in sports (eg Doane v MK Dons and others (Sheffield County Court)).
  • Tancock v British Swimming SR/0000720014 (Mr David Phillips KC).
  • Doane v MK Dons and others (Sheffield County Court)
Mediation

Jeremy is an Accredited Mediator within the ADR Group.

What the directories say

“Jeremy Lewis is a very good barrister with a great brain. He is approachable, dedicated and a very impressive KC.” Chambers & Partners 2026

“Jeremy Lewis is a perfectionist and picks up every tiny detail, ensuring that every risk is covered off as far as possible.” Chambers & Partners 2026

“Jeremy is probably the most intelligent barrister I’ve worked with. He is exceedingly hardworking and is all over the detail.” Chambers & Partners 2025

“Jeremy is excellent in all areas.” Chambers & Partners 2025

“His grasp of the practical aspects of employment tribunal litigation is a marvel. He has a Trojan work ethic.” Legal 500 2025

“Jeremy is extremely responsive and dedicated to achieving the best possible outcome for the client. He has an eye for detail, looking ahead at the bigger picture and considering all the angles to a case. He was accessible at all hours, and it was constantly reassuring to have him on the team.” Chambers & Partners 2024

“Jeremy leaves no stone unturned and is willing to go the extra mile.” Legal 500 2024″He is very responsive, he is dedicated, he looks at all the angles of the case and he does not leave any stone unturned.” Chambers & Partners 2022

“Among the brightest barristers one can instruct, immensely hard-working, and gives 100% of himself every time.” Legal 500 2022

“Jeremy always demonstrates a mastery of high-level legal concepts that he articulates with precision and in a manner that does not lose sight of the commercial issues in the case and the arguments that the opposing party are likely to employ.” Legal 500 2022

“Consistently offers an exceptional level of service and attention to detail, in order to attain the best outcome possible.” Legal 500 2022

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