Sophie Cashell

Sophie has experience dealing with claims across the range of employment law, including whistleblowing, discrimination, TUPE, constructive dismissal, and unfair dismissal. Highlights include:

• Appearing in the tribunal for a preliminary hearing to case manage a TUPE claim, as well as appearing in the tribunal for a preliminary hearing to case manage a claim for unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal and unlawful deduction of wages.
• Representing the claimant in an age discrimination and whistleblowing claim which is being resisted on the grounds of diplomatic immunity (as junior counsel to Ed Kemp).
• Drafting two grounds of response for the respondent in a now consolidated TUPE-related dispute on the basis that there was no relevant transfer. This included drafting successful applications for extension of time to submit ET3 responses.
• Drafting a strike out and/or deposit order application.
• Drafting grounds of response for the respondent in an unfair dismissal
• Assisting with the drafting of closing submissions on behalf of the respondent in a one-week constructive dismissal case, and also in a two-week whistleblowing detriment and dismissal
• Being involved in a claim brought by a litigant in person for whistleblowing detriment, direct sex discrimination and victimisation. This included discreet research on agency and assisting with the skeleton argument.
• Drafting grounds of complaint for detriment for making protected disclosures, (automatic) unfair dismissal, and breach of contract, as well as assisting with the drafting of another grounds of complaint relating to unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, and unlawful deduction of wages.
• Advising on a TUPE transfer (whether there was likely to be a service provision change).
• Advising on the employment status of two individuals providing services through a partnership.
• Advising on the employment implications of changing terms and conditions to employees (where TUPE and collective agreements were relevant).
• Advising on the legality of an initiative which relied on the positive-action provisions of the Equality Act.

Sophie has significant interest in all areas of commercial law, including contract claims, shareholder disputes and civil fraud claims. Her experience includes:

• Appearing in the Companies Court to apply for an adjournment in relation to a winding up petition.
• Drafting a Part 8 claim (and supporting witness statement) in relation to the correct construction of a Deed of Departure.
• Drafting a skeleton argument for an interim injunction to restrain an unlawful campaign of cold calling, a preservation order for evidence, an order for specific disclosure, and permission to serve the application outside the jurisdiction.
• Drafting a High Court particulars of claim in a claim for breach of contract and the equitable duty of confidence.
• Drafting a High Court defence in relation to a claim for breach of directors’ duty. The claimant sought a declaration that the director was a bad leaver, and that the claimant was entitled to his shares at nominal value.
• Drafting a County Court Particulars of Claim for discrimination in the provision of services.
• Assisting in a seven-day commercial High Court civil fraud case. This included attending client conferences, drafting a note on the helpful witness evidence adduced during trial, and assisting with the closing submissions.
• Advising on the potential challenges the defendant may have to the claimant’s claim that the defendant forfeited their right to any Earn Up Payment pursuant to a share purchase agreement. This involved considerations of unlawful restraints of trade and penalty clauses.
• Advising on the merits of a dispute involving directors’ loans and drafting a note on points for a summary judgment application in the case.
• Advising on the potential causes of action, and the conflicts issues (as to applicable law and jurisdiction) which arose, involving a dispute over a bitcoin-related joint venture.
• Advising on quantum in a dispute under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

Sophie has a keen interest in Littleton’s sports law practice. In particular, Sophie has had experience in:

• Assisting Lydia Banerjee in a sports-related investigation into the strengths and weaknesses of one of the organisation’s Olympic programmes, which included investigation into safeguarding concerns.
• Drafting Points of Claim in a dispute between a football club, an ex-player, and the player’s intermediary. She also advised on winding up as a means of collecting the ex-players’ and intermediary’s money from the club.
• Drafting Points of Response in a Rule K Arbitration between an intermediary company, and an ex-employee.

Sophie is also interested in cases which involve elements of public law. Sophie has previously worked as a research assistant for Human Rights at Sea, transcribing evidence of human rights violations and regularly liaising with the CEO. This built on the experience Sophie acquired when volunteering in the Human Rights Implementation Centre at the University of Bristol.

2015 – 2019: LLB Law with Continental Study in Europe (First Class), University of Bristol and Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium 

2020: Bar Practice Training Course (LLM) (Outstanding & Distinction), The University of Law, London

2019: The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, Exhibition Award

2019: The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Award

2019: The University of Law, Mistress of the Moots Advocacy Scholarship

2019: University of Bristol, Best Unit Mark in Transnational Arbitration

2018: University of Bristol, Bristol Plus Award

2018: Westlaw UK & LexisNexis, Advanced Research Certification

2017: University of Bristol & The Honourable Society of Middle Temple, Advocacy Scholar Award

2016: University of Bristol, Dean’s Commendation for Academic Excellence

February 2018: Bristol Law Review: The Influence of Arendt on British Citizenship

April 2019: Bristol Law Review: Comparative Analysis of Abortion Regulations

December 2020: Withersworldwide Insight: Company Days Off: translating good intentions into good practice, co-authored with Libby Payne.

June 2021: Withersworldwide Insight: To co-work or not to co-work? Important UK employment considerations for coworking spaces, co-authored with Libby Payne and Tom Hughes.

Spanish (basic)