Richard Thomas
Education
- BSc (Hons) Economics- London School of Economics
- Common Professional Examination (CPE) and Law Society Finals
Legal Career
- Capital Law- Associate and Partner
- Eversheds- Associate
- Bevan Ashford- Solicitor
- Welsh Health Legal Services- Solicitor
- Edwards Geldard - Trainee Solicitor
After completing my degree at the London School of Economics, I returned to my home town of Cardiff to commence my legal career.
I have a particular interest in the Health sector as I initially worked for a number of years as an “in house” lawyer for NHS Wales advising NHS Trusts in Wales in relation to a variety of employment law issues Prior to joining Capital Law, I worked at Eversheds for seven years, during which time I worked with a significant number of large private and public sector employers (UK based and multi nationals) providing advice on a wide range of individual and collective employment law issues including those associated with corporate acquisitions, disposals, mergers, outsourcing and restructuring including collective redundancies and collective consultation issues involving both UK and pan European collective consultation bodies.
I have also advised and represented clients at Employment Tribunals across the UK dealing with a variety of employment claims including wrongful, constructive and unfair dismissal; race, sex, disability and age discrimination; breach of contract; dismissal due to trade union activity; litigation concerning the application of TUPE and public interest disclosure or “whistle blowing” claims. Whilst at Eversheds, I continued to advise and represent a number of NHS Trusts in Wales.
In 2006/ 07 I spent 16 months on secondment to GlaxoSmithKline (the world’s second largest pharmaceuticals company) as Senior Counsel – Employee Relations. During my time at GSK, I provided strategic advice to all of GSK’s UK HR Directors concerning both individual and collective Employee Relations issues. I assisted with the co ordination of a number of complex ER investigations including harassment and bullying and whistle blowing cases and was involved in achieving the resolution of a number of individual disputes and grievances. I was also responsible for drafting and updating all GSK ER policies and providing HR guidance for dealing with ER issues (e.g. flexible working; discipline and grievance; attendance management; impact of new age discrimination regulations etc) and was part of GSK’s policy review team providing policy and practice guidance to GSK HR staff.
I also advised GSK on the legal and ER aspects of a number of off shoring and outsourcing decisions made together with a number of corporate acquisitions. I was involved with the communication and consultation with the affected employees and discussions with the appropriate staff representation forums and advised as to the appropriate use of GSK’s various employee engagement forums from Staff Consultative committees to its UK Information and Consultation forum to its European Works Council. I was also involved in the drafting and negotiation of the off shoring and outsourcing agreements with the selected service providers.
I enjoy employment training and – whilst at GSK – I delivered legal updates on UK and European employment law developments and attended GSK’s European HR Directors conference in Verona in September 2006 to provide a European Employment Law update. I also presented a number of internal employment law training sessions to GSK’s in house legal team and HR staff and provided training to GSK’s UK Information and Consultation forum. In addition, at Capital Law I have presented a large number of seminars to both private and public sector employers on a wide variety of individual and collective employment law issues.
