Nick has a very wide ranging practice which encompasses both contentious and non-contentious Employment work. He acts for both employers and employees in managerial or board level positions.
Nick also regularly advises and assists International clients with commercial advice with a specific emphasis on acting for Italian based businesses with advice relating to cross-border Anglo-Italian matters.
Employment Law
Nick is frequently asked to advise on the tactics which may lead to a dismissal or a termination of employment which in turn often leading to his being required to assist clients with the preparation and negotiation of settlement agreements. These usually will require advice and negotiation over bonus payments or share option or other entitlements. He is particularly well acquainted with the issues arising from negotiating such agreements.
Nick has pursued and defended a very considerable number of claims in the Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunal and his contentious practice has involved him in a number of reported cases and has succeeded in obtaining a number of costs awards against opponents which is a rare occurrence in the Employment Tribunals.
He is regularly asked to draft or advise on employment contracts and service agreements which often include guaranteed and discretionary bonuses, share options, restricted stock units and other forms of incentives. He is also often asked to assist with the review or drafting of company policy documentation generally.
Nick has also over the years assisted a number of clients who have been investigated and prosecuted in connection with breaches of health and safety laws.
Nick acts for clients in a very wide range of industries including banking, insurance, recruitment, IT, software development, technology, consulting, fashion and food.
Italian Group
Nick lived in Padua in Italy for 11 years and is bi-lingual. He leads the firm’s Italian Group and has worked with Italian businesses seeking to establish a presence in the UK for many years. He is well versed in the intricacies of assisting clients across a wide variety of issues co-ordinating and project managing the advice of a wide variety of lawyers from nearly every department of the firm.
Typically clients establishing themselves for the first time in the UK will require assistance with new business premises, terms and conditions of business, contract of employment and a wide variety of related matters.
He regularly visits Italy and has strong links with legal, accountancy and general business contacts throughout most of the regions of Italy.
The recruitment industry
Nick has in-depth knowledge of the recruitment industry and the terms and conditions used by agencies and businesses as well as head hunters. He is familiar with the various means of engaging temporary workers by agencies and through umbrella companies as well as for interims, contractors also where they are offering services via personal service companies as well as the placement of permanent employees. He is familiar with the issues which frequently face agencies across the wide spectrum of business issues. He has an in-depth knowledge of the Employment Agencies Act of 1973, The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 and The Agency Workers Regulations 2010.
Press
Nick has been asked to comment on live employment tribunal cases and employment law issues generally and has appeared on television and radio broadcasts given by BBC News, BBC News 24, BBC South East Today, Channel 4 News, Channel 5 News, CNN, Hispania TV, Radio 4's PM and the Today Programmes and for Radio 5 Live, Radio London, Colourful Radio and CHQR AM in Canada.
Nick is very regularly asked to providing comments to Lexis Nexis (a very well respected resource for lawyers) as well as participating as a panel expert in their CPD webinars.
Nick has been asked to provide comments for articles appearing in The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, The Times, The Telegraph, Metro, The Evening Standard, The Economist & The In-House Perspective.
Nick has been recognised in 2013 & 2014 by Chambers. He is a member of the Employment Lawyers' Association and the British Italian Law Association.
Nick speaks fluent Italian and reasonable French.
Nick is a London School of Economics law graduate and was admitted as a solicitor in 1990. After leaving McKenna & Co (now CMS Cameron McKenna) he moved to The Simkins Partnership (now Simkins LLP). From a broad commercial litigation background his practice focused on employment law. He joined Silverman Sherliker as a partner in 1998 and became a partner in Laytons LLP on 1 August 2017 when the firms merged.
He holds a Level 1 FA coaching qualification, is a qualified FA Referee and for eight years managed an Aldenham FC junior football team.
Gruppo Italiano
Nick ha vissuto a Padova in Italia per 11 anni ed e’ bilingue. Guida l’Italian Group dello Studio e lavora da molti anni con le imprese italiane che intendono stabilirsi in UK.
Ha molta esperienza nella complessa attivita’ di assistenza di clienti su una grande varieta’ di tematiche, coordinando e gestendo la consulenza resa dai professionisti dei diversi dipartimenti dello Studio.
Tipicamente i clienti che si stabiliscono per la prima volta in UK necessitano di assistenza in merito alla loro nuova sede, ai termini e alle condizioni del business, ai contratti di lavoro e ad una varieta’ di aspetti collegati.
Visita con regolarita’ l’Italia e ha forti relazioni con legali, commercialisti e il mondo degli affari in molte regioni d’Italia.
Contact details
Tel: +44 (0)20 7842 8000
DDI: +44 (0)20 7842 8044
Download vCard →
Qualifications
Qualified as a Solicitor in 1990
Expertise
News & Insights
![Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and another v Agnew and others [2023] UKSC 33](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/570665c1d51cd45f7c8f1812/1697815374797-M7QJEI78QAHUKRS3PO42/Laytons_employment_article_%281%29.png)
