Chris Baker

Position: Legal Director

SUMMARY PROFILE

Chris is an employment law specialist dealing with a broad range of employment related issues, both contentious and non-contentious. His case load involves defending clients in employment tribunal proceedings, providing day to day employment advice, advising on TUPE related issues as well as advising the Corporate Group on the employment implications of sales, mergers and acquisitions.

Chris has particular expertise in advising financial institutions including banks, building societies and investment houses both in London and the regions on a range of issues, including FSA compliance. He also has significant expertise in advising on TUPE transactions, including employment aspects of PFI/PPP projects (including a waste management PFI) and outsourcing arrangements. He has been involved in a number of PFI transactions conducted by NHS trust which utilised the Retention of Employment ("RoE") model. Chris has acted for both the NHS trusts and for private contractors in this context. Chris has also been involved in a pioneering project for a private IT contractor in an outsourcing of the entire IT department for a city council which utilised a secondment model whereby employees were retained by the council and seconded to the contractor.

Chris has recently managed three global advisory projects relating to compliance with data protection legislation in various multiple jurisdictions.

Chris is also experienced in industrial relations issues including advice on collective agreements, consultation strategy, collective consultation issues and industrial action. This was a significant issue in the context of the local authority outsourcing project referred to above.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Conducting advocacy in the Employment Tribunal on a wide range of cases including unfair dismissal, sex and race discrimination and TUPE cases. Chris was involved in successfully taking a number of TUPE cases to the Employment Appeal Tribunal, one of which was subsequently reported.

Advising a major building society on issues arising from a merger with a regional society.

Advising on the employment implications of sales and acquisitions and in connection with PFI initiatives. Chris has particular expertise in advising on the TUPE implications in these areas (see below).

Drafting contracts of employment, employment policies and handbooks and providing day to day employment advice to clients.

Advice on equal opportunities issues including dealing with complex grievances related to discrimination in the workplace.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2008 - present DLA Piper UK LLP, Legal Director, Human Resources Group, Leeds
2003 to 2007 DLA Piper UK LLP, Associate, Human Resources Group, Leeds
1998 to 2003 DLA Piper UK LLP, Assistant Solicitor, Human Resources Group, Leeds
1996-1998 DLA Piper UK LLP, trainee solicitor