Nicholas was appointed Silk in March 2019.
Nicholas is an employment specialist whose practice takes in all facets of employment litigation in the High Court and the statutory tribunals. Nicholas has a significant investigatory practice. He also enjoys a significant sports law related practice appearing before the ordinary courts and the relevant disciplinary/adjudicatory tribunals.
Particular areas of expertise are:
- Whistleblowing particularly in the Financial Services Sector
- Discrimination and Equal Opportunities Litigation
- TUPE
- Equal Pay
- National Minimum Wage compliance
- Investigations
- Restrictive Covenants and Confidential Information
- Sports Law
Nicholas has been continuously listed as a leading practitioner in employment in the legal directories since 2007. He is also listed as a leading silk in the field of investigations. He was, in addition, listed for his Sports Law Practice in the Legal 500. Examples of recent comments are as follows:
Nicholas Siddall KC is a highly skilled silk who is widely praised for his client service. He regularly appears in the Employment Tribunal and the High Court on behalf of claimants and respondents, handling both discrimination and commercial employment claims.
“Nicholas is excellent.”
“Nicholas is exceptional in all areas.”
“Nicholas is a masterful advocate.”
“Nick masters the factual background excellently and is very smart and tactical.He focusses swiftly on the key issues and is very user-friendly in sensitive cases.”
“Clearly an expert in employment, with bags of experience and knowledge. He’s client-friendly, commercial and quickly builds a rapport with the client.”
Chambers UK 2025
“Nicholas Siddall KC is a highly skilled silk who is widely praised for his client service. He regularly appears in the Employment Tribunal and the High Court on behalf of claimants and respondents, handling both discrimination and commercial employment claims.
“Nicholas is sharp as a razor; very tactical, not afraid of a fight, and has the experience to see the downsides to balance the upsides.”
“Brilliantly smart and focused. Always in charge; his preparation is second to none.” Chambers UK 2024.
Nicholas “is a highly skilled silk who is widely praised for his client service. He regularly appears in the Employment Tribunal and the High Court on behalf of claimants and respondents, handling both discrimination and commercial employment claims.
“Nick oozes intellect and controlled aggression combined with superb client handling.”
“His preparation and attention to detail is excellent. He always goes the extra mile to make the difference in the cases he takes on.” Chambers UK 2023
“He is on the ball, he is phenomenally intelligent, clients get on well with him and he is a safe pair of hands.” “He is one of my go-to people if I need a big hitter; I particularly like him for discrimination, TUPE cases and really technical matters. He is a very strong advocate and he is a very likeable person.” “He is forensic and considered, which allows him to conduct careful analysis for clients.”
and
Nicholas Siddall QC has notable experience with TUPE, along with high-value discrimination claims and public interest disclosure cases. He is predominantly instructed on behalf of respondents but also works with trade unions and high net worth claimants. He is recognised for his expertise in defending applications for injunctive relief.
Strengths: “Nick is intensely intelligent and has a photographic memory for case law. His written advice is well structured and reasoned. He has a confident ability when dealing with clients.” “He is technically very good; a powerful, commanding advocate and an impressive all-round character.” Chambers UK 2022
Nicholas Siddall KC is ’a charming advocate, able to win over judges‘. Legal 500 2024Technically excellent, with the ability to digest complex facts of the case and apply to the relevant law in a user-friendly way. Always willing to take a call and very client friendly. Legal 500 2021
“He is wonderful – an employment law obsessive. He takes a scholarly approach to the law, and is genuinely interested.” “Great focus and attention to detail. Client witnesses invariably say they that they are pleased that he is on their side rather than the opponent’s.” Chambers UK 2021
Superb – his warmth and personality are great assets for this type of work. He is decisive, does not sugarcoat, and is not afraid to tell a client how it is. He is also unflappable and very good on his feet.’ Legal 500 2020
“A consummate professional, who grasps the intricate details of a case and distils into a clear, manageable legal analysis” Legal 500 2017
In the 2017 and 2018 Thomson Reuters Reports entitled “What do clients want from the Bar?” Nicholas was listed in the section “What barristers were respondents most impressed with?” as follows: ‘Very good on his feet in tribunal, good with clients, and works as a team with instructing solicitors’
Instructions over the last 12 months include:
- Appearing in the successful defence of an 8 day claim of maternity discrimination brought by a partner in a property LLP followed by a successful application for costs in the sum of £225,000;
- Appearing on behalf of an international cosmetics business in securing a without notice injunction to restrain the employment of its Chief Operations Officer by a competitor;
- Securing a 7 figure settlement for a banker suffering from cancer when his employing bank unilaterally removed his health cover in breach of its Braganza duty;
- Acting for a leading actors’ directory in defence of a claim brought by Equity asserting that it is an Employment Agency;
- Appearing in defence of a 10 day claim of whistleblowing brought against a Lloyd’s insurance syndicate in which the Claimant sought a career long loss of £2.6 million;
- Hearing an internal grievance appeal brought by an employee of an international price comparison website where the employee alleged that she had been harassed by her expression of gender critical views.
- Conducting a lengthy investigation into the CEO of a national car dealership and whether their conduct amounted to a ‘material default event’ under the terms of a share purchase agreement;
- Acting in defence of a 12 day claim of race, sex and age discrimination brought by a desk head of an international payments business. The Claimant seeks a career long loss in excess of £2million;
- Appearing in a ‘test case’ on behalf of in excess of 4000 ‘Just Eat’ couriers seeking to establish their employment/worker status which is listed for 20 days;
- Sitting as the Chairman of an internal appeal brought by the former CEO of an extremely well known international fashion brand appealing his dismissal on grounds of serious sexual harassment of junior female employees.