Employment Law Conference - 4-5 Gray's Inn Square

We’re pleased to announce that tickets are now available for our Employment Law Conference, our half day-long conference will bring together leading minds in employment law from members of 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square.

The conference will be held at the prestigious Old Hall at Lincoln’s Inn.

Date: Wednesday 26th November 2025

Time: 09:00 - 14:00

Venue: Old Hall, Lincoln’s Inn, London, WC2A 3TL

Who should attend?
The event is ideal for anyone working in or advising on employment law issues – whether in central orlocal government, claimant practices, or the wider legal sector.

The day will conclude four sessions delivered by experts in their field along with a relaxed lunch reception – a great opportunity to network and reflect.

About the Speakers/Topics:
Richard O'Dair specialises in employment law with particular emphasis on the intersection between employment law and human rights law. Richard has as an excellent reputation in his field and was shortlisted for Barrister of the Year at the Legal 500 Legal Business Awards 2025.

Richard was Counsel to Kristie Higgs' [Higgs v Farmor’s School 2025] school when her case was heard in the Court of Appeal. Richard continues to act for Revd Randall inligation arising from his dismissal after the preaching of a chapel sermon. He is advising in the "Darlington Nurses case" which concerns whether it is unlawful for a
hospital to require women nurses to share a changing room with a biological male identifying as a woman.

Richard will consider the state of play in this area.

Simon Harding is a barrister at 4–5 Gray’s Inn Square with a practice which focuses on employment and commercial law. Simon has a particular expertise in larger scale
claims for local authorities and large companies; particularly in dealing with complex discrimination and whistleblowing claims as well as regulatory or constitutional issues that overlap with workplace rights.

For this session Simon will be speaking on the statutory definitions of “employee” and “worker”, and the status of political volunteers under s.230 ERA and the Equality Act
2010.

Closing the Door on Discrimination: For Women Scotland and the implications after Earl Shilton Town Council v Miller[2023] EAT 5

In For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers[2025] UKSC 16 the Supreme Court held that the definition of sex forthe purposes of the Equality Act 2010 is limited to biological sex.

That judgment did not concern toilet facilities. However, it has been ceased upon by the media as the source of the proposition that trans employees are not entitled to use the toilet facilities of the sex with which they identify. In turn the EHRC has published interim guidance which is currently under review.

In Earl Shilton Town Council v Miller[2023] EAT 5 the EAT addressed the issue of toilet facilities head on. It found that when the issue was framed as the provision of toilet facilities appropriate to a person’s requirements, unisex facilities could represent inherently discriminatory facilities on grounds of a protected characteristic.

Sinead King, who represented the successful claimant in Miller, will discuss what For Women Scotland actually says, its implications and how Earl Shilton might help us to understand the scope of an employer’s obligations in relation to toilet facilities. Sinead is a Legal 500 leading junior for Employment Law.

Dismissal and Whistleblowing Detriments: Wicked Vision Ltd v Rice
In this session, Simon McCrossan will explore whether it is possible to claim dismissal as a whistleblowing detriment in light of the EAT ruling in Wicked Vision Ltd v Rice and subsequent decisions. As Wicked Vision heads for the Court of Appeal, Simon will examine s.47B ERA 1996 and its interplay with s.103A ERA 1996 alongside common law principles following the Court of Appeal’s previous ruling in Osipov v Timis.

Simon’s main practice areas encompass employment and discrimination law, contractual disputes and general civil litigation (including Equality Act claims). He advises across in a wide range of matters and is regularly instructed by a number of membership organisations. Simon has particular experience in cases concerning freedom of expression in the workplace.

To book your place, please email the 4-5 Gray's Inn clerks via the button below with the number of tickets you wish like to purchase and please confirm the names of those attending. You will then be issued with an invoice for your ticket/s with confirmation your place has been secured.