Call: 1996 Education: BA (Hons) Modern History, Oxford University,
CPE (Distinction) Sussex University
Practice Summary
Employment
Personal Injury
Memberships
Personal Injury Bar Association
Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
Employment Lawyers Association
Discrimination Law Association
Laura has a mixed civil practise, specialising in Personal Injury and Employment work. She is the Employment Team coordinator at 9 Gough Square.
In the employment field, Laura appears for claimants and respondents, both in the public and private sector. Her practice includes discrimination, unfair dismissal claims, whistle blowing, transfer of undertakings, workplace stress and bullying, commercial agency agreements, breach of contract and restraint of trade. In addition to representation in tribunals and courts, Laura is able to undertake advisory work on contracts, policies and workplace procedures.
Her Personal Injury practise is varied, encompassing everything from straightforward slippers and trippers and road traffic accidents to work related upper limb disorders and industrial disease. She has a particular interest in the interface between Employment and Personal Injury Law, currently most relevant to stress, discrimination and health and safety at work.
Laura also has a developing Human Rights/Constitutional Law practice. She has appeared twice in the Privy Council on matters relating to the Mauritian education system and Constitution and continues to provide regular advice in this arena. As a Pegasus Scholar in 2001 Laura undertook work at the Human Rights Commission in Sydney, Australia.
Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Port Louis v S. Tengur PC Appeal No. 21 of 2003: junior to Alan Newman QC. The reservation of 50% of places in state-funded secondary schools for Roman Catholics was contrary to the Constitution of Mauritius.
Maronier v Larmer (2002) 2 WLR 1060, CA: junior to John Foy QC in this Brussels Convention matter: successful reliance on Article 6(1) of the ECHR.
Hobson v London Borough of HackneyLTL (2002), CA: junior to Brian Langstaff QC in this case which determined whether the language of a reference was discriminatory.
Re Auburn Dassanyake Kemp C2-012 (2001): CICA award of £35,000 (now £40,000) for general damages for permanent post-traumatic stress disorder and depression of considerable severity in nurse assaulted by a patient.
Matadeen v Pointu (1999) AC 98, PC: junior to Alan Newman QC. Whether the Constitution of Mauritius provided protection from discrimination on grounds of language in the primary education arena.
Martyres v Connex South Eastern Limited EAT/834/99: effect of collective bargain on individual contract of employment when an unlawful deduction alleged.
Re Cooper (1997): junior to Tess Gill, successfully defending the managing director of a residential home from criminal prosecution where a disabled resident had died in the bath.
As the Employment Team coordinator, Laura regularly provides and organises seminars. Recent topics have included: Age Discrimination; Stress & Disability; Whistle blowing; & Bridging the Gap between Employment & Personal Injury work.
