Key Contacts

Almudena Álvarez

Almudena Álvarez is Managing Partner of álvarez lentner – a Spanish boutique law firm which is exclusively specialized in providing Labor and Employment Law counsel to national and international companies.

Almudena advises clients on a national and international level on all personnel matters with a strong focus on litigation. She also has wide experience in restructuring processes and collective negotiation with trade unions.

Almudena is also a Professor at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Madrid) where she teaches employment and labor litigation.

Specific skills:

• Employment & Labor Litigation.
• Restructurings & Reorganizations.

Languages:

• Spanish
• English
• German
• French

Professional memberships:

• New York State Bar Association
• Member of the Executive Committee of AIJA
• Member of FORELAB

Education:

• Universidad Autónoma de Madrid – J.D. 2007
• Universidad Autónoma de Madrid – Political Science and Administration 2007
• Universität zu Köln – ERASMUS Program 2006-2007
• University of Miami – LL.M. U.S. & Transnational Law 2011
• Instituto de Estudios Bursátiles de Madrid – Executive Program in Business Management and Strategic Planning 2017

Andreea Suciu

Andreea Suciu is the Managing Partner of Suciu – Employment and Data Protection Lawyers.

She founded the law firm after holding the position of Head of Employment & Pensions of the Romanian office and CEE Employment Law Practice Coordinator at one of the most prestigious German law firms.

Andreea’s experience encompasses many years of decision-making responsibilities in individual and collective employment matters for multinational companies from various industries. She is valued for the passion she puts into her work, and especially for her capability of bringing innovative solutions.

Andreea has written numerous articles and guides on employment law, such as the Littler Mendelson Guide to International Employment and Labor Law (Romanian Chapter), and co-authored the employment law chapter to a manual on contracts. She is ranked in the Legal 500 Guide.

Andreea is member of the editorial board of the Magazine “European Employment Law Cases” (EELC). She also acts as Mentor at the Founder Institute, the world’s premier pre-seed startup accelerator.

Specific skills:

• Post-Merger Employee Integration
• International Mobility
• Digital Corporate Trainings
• HR Health Checks
• Restructuring & Redundancies
• Collective Bargaining & Industrial Action

Languages:

• Romanian
• German
• English

Professional memberships:

• Bucharest Bar Association
• EELA – European Employment Lawyers Association

Education:

• M. “South East European Law and European Integration” – Karl-Franzens University, Faculty of Law, Graz, Austria (2008)
• Bachelor Degree – Babes-Bolyai University, Faculty of Law, Cluj-Napoca, Romania (2005)

Claude Bleser

Claude Bleser is a founding partner of ADAM & BLESER a Luxembourg law firm, established in 1996, whose activities cover all aspects of domestic and international civil, commercial and corporate law, with a special focus on Employment and Labour law.

He is a member of the Luxembourg Bar since 1990 and served as a member of the Luxembourg Bar Council from 2002 to 2004.

Claude’s practice focuses on providing counsel on a wide range of Employment and Labour law for employees and employers in both the private and the public sector.

He also is a lecturer at the “Chambre des Métiers” (Chamber of Trade and Crafts) and with the “House of Training”, an organisation which aim is to provide continuing professional training to meet the needs of the Luxembourg economy.

Specific skills:

• Employment Litigation
• Individual & Collective Dismissals
• Senior Executive Terminations & Disputes
• Human Resource Policies

Languages:

• English
• French
• German
• Luxembourgish

Professional memberships:

• Luxembourg Bar Association

Education:

University of Aix-Marseille, France – Master’s degree in Private Law, 1989

Dan Begbie-Clench

Dan Begbie-Clench is a Partner at Doyle Clayton, a leading specialist firm of Employment and Business Immigration lawyers in the United Kingdom.

His practice focuses on advising multinationals and SMEs on a range of strategic Employment and Labor Law matters, including as part of corporate transactions. He is particularly noted for his counsel on redundancy processes, reorganisations, dismissals, TUPE transfers, discrimination and unfair dismissal claims, in addition to High Court claims to enforce restrictions and prevent employees from using confidential information.

Before qualifying as a lawyer Dan studied at a French university and went on to work at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

Specific skills:

• Employment Law
• Employment Litigation
• Human Resources Policies
• Protecting Confidential Information
• Reorganisations & Restructurings
• Transfers of Business

Languages:

• English
• French
• Italian

Professional memberships:

• Employment Lawyers’ Association (UK)

Education:

• University of Sheffield (UK) – J.D. 1999
• Université de Nancy II (France) – J.D. 1998 French Law

Daniel Giampá Ticianeli

Daniel Giampá Ticianeli is a founding partner at Baraldi Mélega Advogados, a firm distinguished for its labor and employment law counsel across Brazil and to international clients. He is lauded for his deep-seated knowledge in this specialty, as well as for the exceptional commitment and customized attention he dedicates to his clientele. His adeptness in orchestrating legal strategies is particularly evident when dealing with intricate cases involving public civil actions, collective lawsuits, advisory on Public Ministry of Labor inquiries, and the construction of defensive administrative pleas.

In his pivotal role at Baraldi Mélega Advogados, Daniel infuses the firm with his seasoned insights, propelling it to new heights with his innovative and effective legal solutions.

• Specific skills:

 Leadership in Public Civil and Collective Actions
 Consultation on Labor Prosecution Affairs
 Formulation of Administrative Legal Defense
 Labor litigation and Corporate legal compliance.
 Consultancy on business restructuring within Brazil's complex labor framework.

• Languages:

 English (Advanced)

• Professional memberships:

 Member of the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil (OAB), the Brazilian Bar Association.

• Education:

 Law Degree, University of Bauru
 Postgraduate Specialization in Labor Law and Labor Process, Pontifícia Universidade Católica
de São Paulo – PUC/SP
 Expertise in Corporate Syndical Law, Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV).

Elika Schneider

Dr. Elika Schneider is Partner of ALTENBURG Fachanwälte für Arbeitsrecht – a German boutique law firm which is exclusively specialized in providing Labor and Employment Law counsel to national and international businesses.

She has extensive experience in advising and representing national and international companies in all areas of individual and collective employment law. One focus of her work is on supporting start-up and scale-up companies in all employment law matters. In addition, she advises companies in particular on restructurings and all matters relating to works constitution law and represents companies in labor court proceedings.

Dr. Elika Schneider is a specialist lawyer for employment law. After studying in Mannheim and Oslo and working for Porsche, Zalando and the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, followed by her doctorate in 2017, she began her career as a lawyer at ALTENBURG in 2018. She has been working in the Berlin office ever since.

Specific skills:

• Advising Start-up and Scale-up Companies
• Restructuring
• Works Constitution Law
• Labor Litigation

Spoken Languages:

• German
• English
• Farsi

Education:

• Legal studies in Mannheim and Oslo
• Legal clerkship in Berlin

Eva Stark

Dr. Eva Stark is Partner of ALTENBURG Fachanwälte für Arbeitsrecht – a German boutique law firm which is exclusively specialized in providing Labor and Employment Law counsel to national and international businesses.

She advises companies on all aspects of employment law, in particular in the area of employee data protection, and has extensive experience in restructuring and negotiations with works councils.

Dr. Eva Stark is the author of numerous specialist articles and regularly gives lectures on employment law topics. After studying in Passau and completing her legal clerkship in Munich and Sydney, she obtained her doctorate in 2018. She works as a lawyer in the Hamburg office of the law firm ALTENBURG.

Specific skills:

• Employee Data Protection
• Labor Litigation and negotiations

• Restructuring

Spoken Languages:

• German
• English
• Spanish

Education:

• Legal studies in Passau
• Legal clerkship in Munich and Sydney

Giulietta Bergamaschi

Giulietta Bergamaschi is a Founding Partner of LEXELLENT – an award winning boutique Italian law firm specializing exclusively in Employment and Labor Law.

Her practice focuses on providing counsel to both to both domestic and multinational clients on a range of Employment and Labor Law matters such as diversity and discrimination in the workplace, trade union negotiations, labour litigation as well as human resource management strategy.

Giulietta is recognized both nationally and internationally for her work in the field of Italian Employment and Labour Law:

• Giulietta Bergamaschi is referred to as a “good legal expert” and “fully aware of the needs of the organisation.” Her practice covers reorganisations, trade union negotiations and discrimination.
  –  Chambers Europe 2017
• Clients say Giulietta Bergamaschi “ knows the world of business very well. She is an expert, reactive, available, practical, and meticulous,”
  – LegalCommunity | Labour Report 2016
• Women in Business Law | Italy
  – Expert Guides 2016
• Clients say Giulietta Bergamaschi “is excellent, fast, and available. I am very satisfied”.
  – LegalCommunity | Labour Report 2015
• Women in Business Law | Italy
  – Expert Guides 2015
• Giulietta Bergamaschi has married an attention to discrimination in the workplace, with a commitment to gender balance policies – implementing flexible labour models to reconcile work with private life, and promoting an equal opportunities environment within the firm.”
  – TopLegal 2014 | Female Lawyer of the Year Award
• Women in Business Law | Italy
  – Expert Guides 2014

Giulietta regularly publishes articles on a range of employment and labour law topic as well as speaking at professional conferences and seminars.

Specific skills:

• Discrimination in the Workplace
• Inclusion in the Workplace
• Labour Litigation
• Trade Union Negotiations
• Strategic Workforce Management

Languages:

• Italian
• English

Professional memberships:

• AGI – Italian Employment Lawyers Association
• EELA – European Employment Lawyers Association
• Milan Bar Association

Education:

• State University of Milan – J.D. 1995

Grzegorz Ruszczyk

Grzegorz Ruszczyk is Partner of Zawirska Ruszczyk sp.k.– a Polish boutique law firm which is exclusively specialized in providing Labor and Employment Law advice to national and international businesses. He is the head of the litigation practice.

Grzegorz specializes in representing clients in court disputes in all areas of employment and labor law, including in the scope of terminating employment contracts and related claims, bullying/mobbing, discrimination, overtime and additional benefits. He has vast experience in representing clients in proceedings before the Polish Supreme Court. He participated in many anti-discrimination committees involved in resolving intra-organizational disputes and employees’ claims.

Grzegorz also advises clients on internal regulations and policies, TUPE transfers as well as relations with trade unions and other employees’ representations.

Specific skills:

• Employment Litigation
• Discrimination
• Reorganizations & Restructuring
• Trade Union Negotiations

Languages:

• Polish
• English

Professional memberships:

• IBA – International Bar Association
• Warsaw Bar Association, 2010

Education:

• Warsaw University, Faculty of Law, 2005

Hans Graf

Hans Graf is the Founding Partner and Managing Partner of Graf & Partner – a Swiss boutique law firm based in Zürich, which provides Employment and Labor Law counsel to national and international companies.

Hans has a wealth of experience advising on a wide range of Employment and Labor Law matters such as employment contracts, directives, executive contracts, incentive and benefit schemes, individual and collective dismissals, restructurings and reorganisations, as well as representation in court proceedings.

Specific skills:

• Employment Litigation
• Human Resource Policies
• Individual & Collective Dismissals
• Restructurings & Reorganizations

Languages:

• German
• English
• French
• Spanish

Professional Memberships:

• ABA – American Bar Association
• New York Bar Association
• Swiss Bar Association
• Zurich Bar Association

Education:

• University of Chicago Law School – LL.M 1991
• University of Berne – PhD 1986
• University of Berne – JD magna cum laude 1984

Jie Yang

Jie Yang is a Partner at Baohua Law Firm – a leading law firm that provides professional labor law consultancy in China.

His practice focuses on advising national and international clients on a range of Employment and Labor Law matters. In particular, he has extensive experience advising on employment disputes, terminations and dismissals, as well as human resources management strategy.

He has published articles in various law magazines and journals, and wrote textbooks such as The Soft landing of Labor Contract Law – Influences and Counter Measures on Human Resource Management, 200 FAQs in Legal Knowledge for Immigrant Workers in Shanghai, andHR Legal Counsel.

Specific skills:

• Employment Law Counselling
• Employment Litigation
• Individual & Collective Dismissals
• Strategic Workforce Management
• Human Resource Policies

Languages:

• Mandarin
• English

Professional Memberships:

• Shanghai Bar Association

Education:

• East China University of Political Science and Law – LLB 1999

John Dunne

John Dunne is a partner in McInnes Dunne Solicitors, a boutique law firm specialising in employment and labour law.

John has argued many cases for clients before the Rights Commissioner’s Service, the Employment Appeals Tribunal, the Equality Tribunal, the Workplace Relations Commission, and the Labour Court. He has appeared with Counsel before the Civil Courts, most frequently the Circuit and High Court, in connection with appeals from the EAT and injunction applications, as well as breach of contract and other related actions.

John also advises clients in relation to legal compliance, with particular emphasis on commercial restructuring, redundancies, trade union law, and transfers of businesses, and the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions of businesses, including due diligence, warranties and indemnities.

“The dogged John Dunne is the right man if you are in a fight. Strong advice, astute commercialism, and an impressive negotiation style”

Specific skills:

• Advocacy before specialist employment disputes fora
• Advising on dismissals and individual and collective redundancies
• Advising on transfer of undertakings, equality law, and legal compliance

Languages:

• English

Professional memberships:

• Dublin Solicitors Bar Association
• Law Society of Ireland

Education:

• Belvedere College, Dublin 1986
• University College Dublin, 1989
• Roll of Solicitors, Law Society of Ireland, 1999

Jorge Sales Boyoli

Karina Sasaki

Karina Sasaki is a founding partner at Baraldi Mélega Advogados, a firm distinguished for its labor and employment law counsel across Brazil and to international clients. Her vast experience enables her to adeptly guide companies through Brazil’s intricate labor law landscape.

Sought after for her strategic insight, Karina is instrumental in steering corporate transactions and reorganizations, guaranteeing compliance with legal standards and providing a strategic edge in a competitive market. Her work ensures that businesses navigate labor laws with confidence and clarity.

Specific skills:

• Strategic labor risk analysis and due diligence.
• Individual and Collective Dismissal management.
• Labor litigation and Corporate legal compliance.
• Consultancy on business restructuring within Brazil’s complex labor framework.

Languages:

• English (Advanced)
• Spanish (Intermediate)

Professional memberships:

• Member of the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil (OAB), the Brazilian Bar Association.

Education:

• Graduated from Mackenzie Presbyterian University in 2005.
• Completed postgraduate studies in Labor Law and Procedure at PUC/SP in 2014.

Manuel Ferreira Mendes

Manuel is founder of Paramount Legal, a Portuguese boutique law firm which advises both companies and individuals on a vast range of employment and immigration matters.

Manuel has more than a decade of experience in employment law issues and has been particularly focused on assisting international clients starting their activities in Portugal, namely, advising on the most advantageous labour solutions for the client’s businesses; drafting all the relevant employment law documents (e.g., fixed term employment agreements, permanent employment agreements, internal policies); clarifying on all their Portuguese employment law queries, among many others.

In addition, Manuel has also been particularly active negotiating the exit of senior executives from multinationals.

The experience in and with premium law firms allowed Manuel to support key national and international clients – corporate and individuals – on employment matters.

Marc Vogel

Marc Vogel is a Founding Partner of ARBOR Advocaten – a boutique law firm exclusively specialised in Dutch Employment and Labor Law.

Marc provides counsel to national and international business with operations in The Netherlands on a range of Employment and Labor Law matters. In particular, he has a wealth of experience advising on employment-related litigation, trade union negotiations, partnership agreements and senior executive matters.

He often speaks and teaches courses in person and online through webinars providing insights to corporate human resource professionals and counsel on the latest changes to employment and labour regulations which may impact their business.  In addition, Marc is the creator of a website journal on Dutch employment law called The Office and he supports a number of entrepreneurs on strategic (legal) issues in their development of business internationally.

Specific skills:

• Human Resource Policies
• Transfer of Business
• Transfers of People
• European Works Councils
• Restructurings & Reorganisations

Languages:

• English
• Dutch

Professional Memberships:

• Amsterdam Employment Lawyers Association
• EELA – European Employment Lawyers Association
• VAAN – Dutch Employment Lawyers Association (VAAN)
• Vereniging Corporate Litigation
• VVA – Employment Law Association

Education:

• University of Amsterdam – J.D. 1987

Marijke Granier-Guillemarre

Marijke Granier-Guillemarre is the Founding Partner and Managing Partner of MGG LEGAL – a French boutique law firm which is exclusively specialized in Employment and Labor Law.

Marijke advises both national and multinational clients on a range of contentious and non-contentious Employment and Labor Law matters. Her practice is particularly well known for providing counsel on day-to-day employment matters (employment contracts, remuneration, pension plans, life insurance plans, termination) as well as collective employment matters – including working time, employee savings, and relations with staff representative bodies. In addition, Marijke also heads MGG Voltaire’s newly created German desk.

She is recognized internationally for her work in the field of French employment and labour law by leading international legal guides. In their words:

• Marijke Granier-Guillemarre demonstrates a “real command of the international environment”
                       – Legal 500 Paris 2016
• “Everybody agrees on her competence and ability to understand and analyse a problem and then propose a business-oriented solution.”
  “Her professional rigour, responsiveness and proximity to the business world have allowed us to successfully overcome the various legal hurdles that we had to cross.”
  “She is our legal business partner and is highly valued by our legal department.”
  “She thinks with the business in terms of solutions, rather than just throwing legal opinions at us as to what we cannot do”
                       – International Law Office – Client Choice Awards 2014

Marijke has also been recognized for her work by the Expert Guides Women in Business Law report as well as Best Lawyers.

She regularly publishes articles on employment law in addition to giving lectures for Montpellier University’s Employment Relations Practices Masters.

Specific skills:

• Human Resource Policies
• Transfers of People
• Transfers of Business
• Restructurings & Reorganisation

Spoken languages:

• French
• German
• English

Professional Memberships:

• AVOSIAL – French Employment Law Working Group
• ANDRH – French HR Working Group
• EELA – European Employment Lawyers Association
• Paris Bar Association

Education:

• University of Montpellier/Paris II – Masters in Employment Law 1997
• University of Paris I: Panthéon-Sorbonne – LLM 1996
• University of Cologne Germany – LLM 1994

Mette Klingsten

Mette Klingsten is Partner of the boutique law firm Mette Klingsten which is exclusively specialized in providing counsel on Danish Employment and Labour Law along with international aspects of Labour Law.

Mette, who has an eye for effective and solution-oriented advice,  provides counsel on all aspects of labour and employment law to Danish and foreign companies, institutions as well as managers and executives.

She litigates on behalf of clients in both industrial and private arbitrations, as well as in court – including the Labour Court and the Supreme Court of Denmark.

In addition to her practice, Mette Klingsten is also a lecturer (and winner of the Lecturer of the Year at Copenhagen University, Law, in 2005) and was recognized with an award by her peers in 2011 for her contribution to the development of Danish Labour Law. Mette is also an accomplished author having written and contributed to a number of employment and law publications such as:

• Ansættelsesretlige aspekter af virksomhedsoverdragelse – Author 2016
  (Employment Law Aspects in Relation to Business Transfers)
•  Erhvervsstrafferetten – Co-author 2015
  (Corporate Criminal Law)
• Lov om kollektive afskedigelser – Co-author 2014
  (The Collective Redundancies Act, 2nd Edition)
• Personalehåndbogen – Jura og HR – Co-author 2010
  (Staff Manual, Law and HR, 1st Edition)
• Funktionærret  – Co-author 2011
  (Salaried Employee, 4th edition)

Mette Klingsten is recognized for her work in the field of Danish Employment and Labour Law by the leading international legal guides Legal 500 EMEA and Chambers Europe. In their words:

Mette Klingsten of Mette Klingsten Law Firm advises on all types of employment law matters, including advisory work and contentious issues. She has represented Danish and foreign companies in the Labour Court and in arbitration.
–          Ranked in Band 2 by Chambers 2017

Mette Klingsten of Mette Klingsten Law Firm specializes in labour and employment law, offering expert advice on matters such as incentive schemes, transfers of undertaking, outsourcing and collective dismissals.
–          Ranked in Band 2 by Chambers 2016

Specific skills:

• Negotiation of Collective Bargaining Agreements
• Transfer of Businesses and Employees
• Bonus and Incentive Programs
• Negotiation of Severance Agreements
• Mass Redundancies
• Insourcing and Outsourcing
• Industrial Arbitration

Spoken languages:

• Danish
• English
• Knowledge of the Scandinavian languages

Professional memberships:

• EELA – European Employment Lawyers’ Association
• IBA – International Bar Association
• Employment Lawyers’ Association of Demark
• Bar Association of Denmark
• Danish Association of Arbitrators
• Admitted to the Supreme Court
• Danish Management Society – Member

Selected Board memberships

•  Chairman of the Board for Copenhagen Phil (appointed by the Minister of Culture)
• Board member in the Royal Danish Theatre (appointed by the Minister of Culture).

Education:

• University of Aarhus – Master of Law 1994

Olivier Rijckaert

Olivier Rijckaert is a Founding Partner of SOTRA – a Belgian boutique law firm which is exclusively specialized in providing Employment and Labor Law counsel.

Olivier, who has over 20 years of experience advising national and international organizations including government agencies, provides legal advice on a wide range of Employment and Labor Law. In particular, his practice focuses on corporate reorganizations, dismissals and employee benefits – in addition to more ‘modern’ workplace issues such as Smart Working, discrimination, privacy, and intellectual property. Olivier has acted as a Deputy Judge at the Employment Tribunal of Namur – a role he served for over 8 years.

Olivier has been recognized as a Leader in his field by one of the top independent international legal guides. In their words:

•  Sources highlight Olivier Rijckaert’s extensive knowledge: “His strength is his in-depth knowledge of company and business matters combined with honesty and accessibility. He is a good listener.“- Chambers Europe 2017
• Olivier Rijckaert is highlighted by clients for his in-depth knowledge of different domains. He focuses on employment flexibility and privacy matters…
                       – Chambers Europe 2016

Specific skills:

• Dismissals: Individual & Collective
• Discrimination
• Human Resource Policies
• Trade Union Negotiations
• Reorganisations & Restructurings

Languages:

• French
• English
• Dutch

Professional Memberships:

• ABA – American Bar Association
• AJPDS – Association des Juristes Praticiens du Droit Social

Education:

• The Catholic University of Louvain – Masters with Honours 1995
• Notre-Dame de la Paix University – J.D. with Honours 1992

Patrycja Zawirska

Patrycja Zawirska is Partner – Founder of Zawirska Ruszczyk sp.k. – a Polish boutique law firm which is exclusively specialized in providing Labor and Employment Law advice to national and international businesses.

Patrycja specializes in complex reorganization and restructuring processes, managing relations with employee representatives and in working time matters. She has a vast experience in ‘sensitive’ disputes with employees (work accidents, discrimination, bullying/mobbing, breach of enterprise secrets and ethical rules). She represents clients in court disputes in the scope of, e.g. terminating employment contracts and related claims, bullying/mobbing, discrimination, overtime, bonuses, etc.

Over the past ten years Patrycja has been consistently ranked in Chambers Europe Awards for Excellence. In 2022 she was ranked as “Band 3”. The Legal 500 EMEA 2022 recognized Patrycja Zawirska as a leading lawyer in Poland (Leading Individual).

Specific skills:

• Reorganizations & Restructuring
• Human Resources Policies
• Trade Union Negotiations
• Discrimination & Sensitive Ethics Matters
• Accidents at Work and Occupational H&S
• Employment Disputes

Languages:

• Polish
• English

Professional memberships:

• Warsaw Bar Association, 2011

Education:

• Institute of Legal Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Law – PhD, 2011
• European University of Law and Administration in Warsaw, Faculty of Law, 2005

Peter McInnes

Peter is a partner in McInnes Dunne Solicitors, a boutique law firm specialising in employment and labour law.

Peter advises corporate clients and senior executives on a diverse range of employment issues including disputes, unfair/wrongful dismissals, applications to restrain dismissals, discrimination, individual and collective redundancies and industrial relations.

Peter is a tough, yet practical commercial litigator. He has acted for clients in Commercial Court cases arising from shareholder/boardroom disputes in both private and public companies. He is also a CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) accredited mediator with considerable mediation experience in the areas of employment and commercial dispute resolution. Peter also advises on partnership law.

“Peter McInnes has a rare ability to explain things succinctly and in layman’s terms. Knowledgeable, tough, and practical – he highlights courses of action for the best and worst-case scenarios. One to have on your side”.

Chambers Europe Law Directory

Specific skills:

• Advocacy before specialist employment disputes fora
• Advising on partnership disputes
• Advising on unfair/wrongful dismissal and injunctions to restrain dismissals

Languages:

• English

Professional memberships:

• Dublin Solicitors Bar Association
• Law Society of Ireland

Education:

• Jordanhill College School, 1984
• Glasgow University, 1990
• Admitted to Roll of Solicitors Law Society of Scotland, 1991
• Admitted to Roll of Solicitors Law Society of Ireland, 1996

Reinout Prakke

Reinout Prakke is a Founding Partner of ARBOR Advocaten – a boutique law firm exclusively specialized in Dutch Employment and Labor Law.

Reinout has a wealth of experience providing counsel to both national and multinational organisation on a range of Employment and Labor Law matters which may impact their business. In particular, his practice in known for its work advising on reorganisation, also at the international level, as well as employment litigation, and negotiating collective labour agreements. He also acts as a deputy judge at the Den Haag district court

Specific skills:

• Collective Bargaining
• Human Resource Policies
• Outsourcing
• Reorganisations & Restructurings
• Senior Executives

Languages:

• English
• Dutch
• German

Professional memberships:

• Amsterdam Employment Lawyers Association
• Dutch Bar Association
• EELA – European Employment Lawyers Association
• VAAN – Dutch Employment Lawyers Association

Education:

• Alpen Adria Klagenfurt University – J.D. 1985
• Amsterdam University – Masters 1991
• Amsterdam University – PALA Degree 2001

Romain Adam

Romain Adam is a founding partner of ADAM & BLESER a Luxembourg law firm, established in 1996, whose activities cover all aspects of domestic and international civil, commercial and corporate law, with a special focus on Employment and Labour law.

Romain acts for both corporate and individual clients and has in recent years spent much time advising senior executives.

Romain also has significant experience of negotiating collective bargaining agreements and social plans.

Romain has been recognized as one of the Leaders in his field by one of the top independent international legal guides:

“Romain Adam of Adam & Bleser is one of the leading labour litigators in the country and almost exclusively represents employees both in settlement negotiations and in-court proceedings. “He is a very experienced lawyer in this regard and does a lot of big settlement cases for former CEOs”.

– Chambers Europe 2019.

Specific skills:

• Employment Litigation
• Individual & Collective Dismissals
• Senior Executive Terminations & Disputes
• Human Resource Policies
• Reorganizations & Restructurings
• Trade Union Negotiations

Languages:

• English
• French
• German
• Luxembourgish

Professional memberships:

• Luxembourg Bar Association
• ELSA – Employment Law Specialists Association Luxembourg, Director
• ALDE – Association luxembourgeoise pour le Droit de l’Environnement

Education:

University of Aix-Marseille, France – Master’s degree in Private Law, 1988

Runqing (John) Dong

John Dong is a Partner at Baohua Law Firm – a leading law firm that provides professional labor law consultancy in China.

His practice focuses on providing counsel to national and international clients on a wide range of Employment and Labor Law matters. He has extensive experience in labor law related commercial litigation and corporate policy establishment.

He is recognized for his work in the field of Chinese employment and labor law by leading international legal guides. In their words:

• John Dong has an established reputation for handling both contentious and non-contentious labor matters. One source remarks that he has “good prospects ahead of him,” while another explains: “He’s a really good lawyer, really hands-on. I look really favourably on him.”
• Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2019
• John Dong offers a broad range of advice to foreign enterprises and domestic companies, advising on employment issues such as labor contracts and employee handbooks, as well as labor disputes. One market commentator describes him as “dedicated,” adding: “He adopts a detailed approach.”
• Chambers and Partners Asia-Pacific 2018
• John Dong has longstanding experience in labor law, both in contentious and non-contentious work.
• Legal 500 China 2018

He has published articles in various law magazines and journals, and has written leading textbooks such as Interpretation to the Latest Labor Contract Law Case (Bilingual),2012 PRC Labor Law Yearbook(Bilingual), and HR Legal Counsel.

Specific skills:

• Employment Litigation
• Cross-border Immigration
• Individual & Collective Dismissals
• Compliance
• Large-scale Workforce Restructuring

Languages:

• English
• Mandarin
• Japanese

Professional Memberships:

• ABA – American Bar Association
• Shanghai Bar Association

Education:

• East China University of Political Science and Law – LLB 2007
• Vanderbilt Law School (USA) – LLM 2008

Tina Wisener

Tina is the head of the Reading office. She predominantly advises corporates on HR/employment law issues and regularly provides bespoke training sessions for clients on a wide range of legal issues affecting the workplace.

Tina is an experienced employment lawyer and tribunal litigator with particular expertise in whistleblowing and complex discrimination cases. She is ranked by The Legal 500 and Chambers Guide to the UK Legal Profession as one of the UK’s outstanding employment law specialist advising corporates as well as senior executives.

Prior to qualifying as a solicitor, Tina served as an Army Officer specialising in human resources and change management. This provides insight into both the strategic and operational issues that HR teams face and a practical understanding of the day to day pressures and challenges her clients regularly deal with.

She has been praised by many clients who quote:

“She brings so much more to the table because she has a very big depth of experience. She became a lawyer, having been in the military in HR at a very senior level. So she has the pragmatism of somebody who’s actually had to do the job. She brings the experience, she gets the situation straight away”.

Client

“She is an amazing lawyer: knowledgeable, commercial and always available. You can roll her out to chairman level with no concerns”.

Client 

“Simply put, she is excellent. Tina is practical, arrives at the right decision and provides honest feedback. Every time I have the business interact with her on a call, they always come away saying, ‘wow, is she good”.

Client

“Tina is a phenomenal lawyer with an abundance of commerciality, I feel like she and her team are a natural extension of my team. She is an excellent negotiator as well as excellent in educating and training staff, managers and HR professionals alike. I have the utmost confidence that she has the credibility and can provide the confidence required to know we are in safe hands“.

Client 

Tina is highly recommended by legal directories. The Legal 500 have described her as a “stand out partner” and Chambers & Partners have said she is “pragmatic and always commercial“.

“Tina Wisener is exceptional in her range of knowledge and experience. She responds very quickly and always offers practical and sound advice and explains everything in plain English!” 

The Legal 500

Impressed clients say: “She’s amazing, she’s so commercial and so responsive,” and add that “she’s fantastic, a great technical lawyer”.

Chambers & Partners Guide

“I would pick her out. She has had the willingness to pick up litigation work that others won’t do, like criminal work that comes out of employment work. Others wouldn’t do that, and others wouldn’t have that breadth and expertise”.

Chambers & Partners Guide

“Tina Wisener is adept at advising on matters including TUPE transfers, outsourcing, senior exits and Financial Conduct Authority matters pertaining to employment law. She is also an able advocate, with experience in handling discrimination and whistle-blowing claims”.

Chambers & Partners Guide

Areas of expertise

• Employment law issues
• Workplace investigations
• Employment disputes & tribunals
• Whistleblowing
• Discrimination advice

Professional memberships

• Employment Lawyers Association

Experience and qualifications

• Qualified in September 2001
• Specialist in Employment Law since 2001