Lucas Pinho Martins Nacif

Lucas advises on the full range of statutory employment disputes, acting for both claimants and respondents in complex discrimination, whistleblowing, and unfair dismissal matters, as well as procedurally complex cases.

• Represented a respondent in a four‑day discriminatory dismissal and harassment trial; all claims were dismissed.
• Represented a respondent in a two-day ordinary unfair dismissal trial in London Central Employment Tribunal involving issues of contributory fault. After successfully resisting a flurry of last-minute applications (including an application for anonymity and an application to amend where the claimant sought to add a discrimination claim), Lucas persuaded the Tribunal that the claimant was fairly dismissed and that it was within the band of reasonable responses to dismiss the claimant without a disciplinary hearing, given the severity of the misconduct.
• Acted in a five‑day Bristol ET trial, achieving strike‑out of multiple disability discrimination claims and securing a significant Polkey reduction.

Lucas advises on all aspects of Employment Appeal Tribunal litigation, including grounds of appeal, procedural issues and advocacy.

• Represented the appellant in Mireku v London Underground Ltd [2025] EAT 57.
• Successfully acted unled in Haziz Rahim v The Big Word [2023] EAT 171.
• Junior counsel in R Kaur v Sun Mark Ltd [2024] EAT 41, a high‑value sex discrimination and victimisation appeal.

Lucas advises senior executives and regulated professionals on internal investigations, misconduct allegations, and regulatory implications involving the SRA, ICAEW, and FCA.

• Advised a partner of a leading law firm in an internal investigation involving issues of honesty and integrity.
• Advised an FCA‑regulated CEO on disciplinary findings, regulatory status, and settlement strategy.
• Advised a barrister in BSB disciplinary proceedings involving allegations of dishonesty.

Lucas advises on contractual disputes, data protection, corporate insolvency, personal bankruptcy, and company law.

• Advised a judgment creditor on enforcing an ET award against a Sovereign State, including issues of state and diplomatic immunity.
• Defended a homeowner in a construction dispute involving negligence and Consumer Rights Act issues.
• Successfully resisted an application to set aside a Tomlin Order in the County Court and secured indemnity costs, resulting in the court awarding approximately 70% of the client’s legal costs.
• Regularly represents creditors and debtors in bankruptcy petitions, winding-up petitions and bankruptcy annulment applications.

Lucas advises academic institutions, teachers, and senior academics on employment, regulatory, and discrimination matters across schools, universities, and educational organisations.

• Advised a senior academic in a complex sex/race discrimination, unfair dismissal, and wrongful dismissal claim, achieving a substantial pre‑ACAS settlement.
• Junior counsel in a four‑week disability discrimination, victimisation, wrongful dismissal, and unfair dismissal claim for a teacher.
• Represented a primary school in a County Court race and religion discrimination claim.

Lucas advises employers, senior executives, and regulated professionals, including those in finance, professional services, healthcare, hospitality, and energy.

• Advised senior executives on LTIP schemes, discretionary bonuses, share options, and carried interest arrangements.
• Negotiated waivers of restrictive covenants, including non‑compete and non‑solicitation provisions, for senior employees.
• Advised an FCA‑regulated CEO on internal disciplinary outcomes, confidentiality misuse allegations, and regulatory implications.
• Represented businesses across multiple sectors (e.g., finance, healthcare, fashion, hospitality and retail) in statutory employment law matters.

Lucas regularly advises and represents local authorities and NHS Trusts in employment matters.

• Successfully defended an NHS Trust in a two-day wrongful dismissal trial in East London ET. The claimant attempted to argue that the Trust’s probationary policy was contractually binding and that the Trust was in breach of contract when it dismissed the claimant for failing her probationary period. Although the Tribunal held that parts of the probationary policy were apt for incorporation, it ultimately concluded that the dismissal was not in breach of contract as the Trust followed the probationary policy’s procedure for dismissing employees.
• Representing a local authority in an unfair dismissal claim with a complex procedural history given the claimant’s history of not complying with Tribunal orders and failing to actively pursue her claim. Represented the local authority in two preliminary hearings to date and also advised the local authority in ongoing procedural matters.
• Represented a local authority in an ordinary unfair dismissal and disability discrimination claim. Advised the local authority behind the scenes on difficult procedural matters, including successfully resisting the claimant’s application to strike-out the respondent’s response. Following a five-day trial in Bristol ET, succeeded in having all the disability discrimination claims dismissed. Although the Tribunal concluded that the dismissal was procedurally unfair, persuaded the Tribunal to make a Polkey reduction. This resulted in the claimant being awarded under 8% of what she claimed in her schedule of loss.

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Senior Executives 2025–2026

Member of the Employment Lawyers Association – Pastoral Committee and Pro Bono Committee

Member of the ‘NextGen’ Consulting Editorial Board, LexisNexis Employment Practical Guidance

Member of the Employment Law Bar Association

Member of the London Bar Association