Marian Derham advises clients on a full range of contentious and non-contentious employment law issues for employers and directors/senior executives.
Marian has developed particular expertise acting for senior executives/directors at the highest level in sectors including, TV, Film, Theatre, retail and fashion, advertising and publishing, investment banking, and professional services, negotiating and advising on both exit strategies/termination packages and contractual arrangements.
Marian regularly provides employer clients with strategic legal advice on redundancies and reorganisations, disciplinaries grievances and Board/director disputes and senior executive appointments and exits.
- Termination of employment, exit negotiations and appointments
- Performance management
- Bullying, harassment and discrimination
- Complex grievances and disciplinaries
- Constructive dismissal and breach of contract
- Maternity and parental rights; flexible working requests
- Employment issues relating to company share sales and/or Board restructures
- Sickness absences and capability
- Service contracts, employment contracts, freelance contracts, and consultancy agreements
- Restrictive covenants
- Outsourcing and in sourcing and TUPE issues
- Working Time Regulations
Employer Clients
Examples of Marian’s work for employer clients include:
- Advising a prominent luxury fashion house on all aspects of employment advice including day to day issues and strategic employment advice
- Advising a well-known Theatre production company on their Board restructure and advising the directors on strategic employment issues
- Acting for an international television company on its redundancy process and closure of its UK business
- Acting for a well-known charity providing niche employment advice for its sector and dealing with a wide range of employment issues as they arise
- Advising an international charity on its collective redundancy programme
- Acting for producers of a West End production on a gross misconduct dismissal of a lead artist
Senior Executives
Examples of clients that Marian has acted for includes:
- The Founder and Chairman of a major music Group as part of the sale of his shareholding in the Company and his new arrangements as Non-Executive Chairman
- Chief Financial Officer of UK mobile network on their termination package (including bonuses/share options/LTIPs) following the acquisition by a Plc.
- CEO of Advertising Agency on the negotiated termination of her employment.
- Global Head of HR of a publicly-listed international travel organization on their termination of employment and favourable severance package
- A Chairman of an international charity on their appointment and negotiation of contractual terms
- An Executive Producer on their appointment to a West End theatre
- An Executive Producer on a negotiated exit from a leading Theatre Production company
- Acting for a number of senior solicitors of a Magic Circle law firm on various issues including unfair constructive dismissal, sex discrimination and maternity discrimination and achieving desired exit outcomes
- The Director of Tax at a Big Four accountancy firm on his complex and high value exit negotiations
- A Group Finance Director on his exit arrangements from a major Broadcaster and his subsequent appointment to a Plc
- A Director of a luxury magazine on their multiple grievances against a major publishing house and securing desired exit arrangements
Marian has celebrated a career of 40 years at Harbottle & Lewis having joined in October 1984, becoming a Corporate partner in 1989. She founded the Employment Group in 2000.
- Qualification date: October 1984
- Academic qualifications: LLB (Hons) 1981
