Keely is an employment lawyer with over 20 years’ experience, advising both employers and employees on a broad spectrum of employment-related matters, with particular expertise in dealing with contentious exits (and associated settlement agreements), discrimination, redundancies and restructuring.
Keely’s practice also involves advising on disciplinary and grievance issues, restrictive covenants, employee confidentiality issues and termination of employment. In addition, she deals with employment litigation, resolving through mediation and settlement agreements where possible, but proceeding to the Employment Tribunals when necessary.
Keely also frequently advises on the TUPE regulations in connection with sales and purchases of businesses and service provision transfers.
Keely’s clients are from a range of sectors, including media, travel, education and retail, and she has an extensive experience and interest in advising charities and not-for-profit organisations on employment issues.
Expertise
- Contentious exits
- Settlement agreements
- Disciplinary and grievance issues
- Discrimination
- Restrictive covenants
- Employee confidentiality
- Termination of employment
- Employment disputes
- Redundancies and restructures
- TUPE regulations
Experience
General
- Advised on the employment aspects of a major manufacturing business acquisition with over 50 sites.
- Successfully acted in Tribunal litigation and the subsequent successful mediation of a race discrimination claim worth in excess of £1 million.
- Advised a cathedral on a significant restructure and redundancy programme, involving collective redundancy consultation and changes to terms and conditions of employment.
- Successfully defended a company against a claim of sex discrimination and unfair dismissal of an employee whilst pregnant, involving sensitive allegations against the managing director.
- Successfully defended a company against a c. £300,000 unfair and wrongful dismissal claim by an individual who claimed he should have been transferred pursuant to TUPE.
Education
- Advised a university in relation to a complex tender and resulting staged TUPE transfer, with associated changes to terms and conditions of employment, relocation of staff and redundancies.
- Successfully defended a university against a claim of sexual harassment and unfair dismissal.
- Advised a college on a sensitive and complex exit of one of its senior management team, negotiating favourable settlement terms and avoiding threatened claims of discrimination, whistleblowing and constructive unfair dismissal.
- Advised a teacher on disability discrimination and potential constructive dismissal, achieving a settlement significantly in excess of the client’s expectations.
- Successfully defended a university against a claim for equal pay; the Claimant brought a second Tribunal claim in respect of which an application for a strike-out succeeded.
Charity
- Advised and successfully defended a charity against a claim of disability discrimination and unfair dismissal; certain aspects were appealed to the Employment Appeal Tribunal, and these were decided in the client’s favour, without the need for a further Tribunal hearing.
- Advised a homelessness charity on a number of complex and connected claims raising religious, sexual orientation and race discrimination, involving Tribunal litigation, mediation and an appeal to the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
- Advised a charity providing care to disabled individuals on complex pay issues requiring collective consultation; these included issues relating to sleep-in payments, holiday pay, shift allowances and the London Living Wage.
- Advised a chief executive of a charity in relation to an acrimonious dispute and her subsequent agreed exit via a settlement agreement; the terms reached reflected – and in parts exceeded – her goals (which were not only financial but also related to preserving her reputation in the sector, and enabling her to leave with dignity and grace).
- Advising a large housing association on a number of service provision changes, including the TUPE process and consequences as well as changes to terms and conditions of employment.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised in Chambers UK (2022-2025) for Employment
“She is committed, experienced and knowledgeable.”--Chambers UK 2025
“Working with Keely was a pleasure at such an incredibly difficult time. Keely quickly understood the specifics of the situation and strategised how to find the best outcome.”-Chambers UK 2025
“Keely provides sensible, commercially astute advice that is applicable to the ethos of her client’s business.”-Chambers UK 2025
“Keely has been very helpful and supportive through a tough year.“-Chambers UK 2025
Acknowledged by Chambers 2025 for her expertise in tribunal claims, and further matters which include managing redundancy considerations and related issues. She has experience of claims alleging discrimination, unfair dismissal and harassment.
“She was very knowledgeable and approachable. She was patient and kind, whilst remaining professional. She was readily available and supportive, and always responded quickly to every concern.” Chambers UK 2024
“She is able to support us with the most complex of cases and I have complete trust in her advice.” Chambers UK 2024
“Keely Rushmore is very easy to work with. She’s bright, insightful and good at handling clients in a straightforward way. She has an impressively calm demeanour but will hold her ground.” Chambers UK 2023
“She completely understands our business, gives strategic responses, engages really well and has shown great commitment to supporting us.” Chambers UK 2023
“Keely Rushmore is very easy to work with, bright and insightful, and good at handling clients in a straightforward way. She has an impressively calm demeanour but will hold her ground.” Chambers UK 2022
“She completely understands our business, gives strategic responses, engages really well and has shown great commitment to supporting us.” Chambers UK 2022
Recognised in Chambers UK 2021 for Employment
“She is concise, knowledgeable, very supportive and helpful. Not only is she an expert in her field; her manner and approach are exactly what you would hope for.” Chambers UK 2021
Member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA)
Career
Keely qualified as a solicitor in 2000. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2021, she worked at the following firms:
- Dechert
- Norton Rose