Michelle Last

Michelle advises employers and recruitment businesses on employment contracts, employment status, business structuring, consultancy law, outsourcing, and restrictive covenant issues.

• Advised numerous employers and recruitment businesses on employment regulations, employment status, contractual terms and restrictive covenant disputes.
• Advised a freelance consultancy business on key employment law and Conduct Regulations issues to help restructure the business, including drafting terms and conditions of employment with hirers and work-seekers.
• Acted for an online platform-based recruitment business, Stint, on employment law issues and terms with hirers and work-seekers, designing an employment business model for optimal operation.
• Advised Unilever on multi-million-pound global outsourcing issues.
• Successfully represented a book packager in defending a claim brought by a claimant who posted political anti-trans comments on a corporate Twitter page, in the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Session.

Michelle advises on discrimination, harassment, and sexual assault claims in the workplace.

• Advised an individual on her claim for pregnancy discrimination against the European Commission, which attracted global media attention.
• Successfully secured a substantial six-figure settlement in a disability discrimination case brought by a cancer patient against a financial services institution.
• Acted for a retail business defending a claim for pregnancy and maternity discrimination before the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal.
• Acted for Sophie Brook, the UK’s former most senior submariner, on her reported sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault and personal injury claim against the Royal Navy, resulting in a formal apology from the First Sea Lord in October 2024 in person and on live news.
• Successfully represented an employer defending a claim for ADHD disability discrimination brought by a trans female worker found to have been moonlighting posting sexually explicit content on OnlyFans and hosting fetish events.

Michelle advises on settlement agreements, restrictive covenants, and high-value employment disputes across the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal and High Court.

• Represented a client in a dispute with an employment agency regarding temp-to-permanent fees.
• Represented a recruitment consultant in a High Court claim relating to alleged breach of covenants and misuse of confidential information in establishing his own recruitment practice.
• Advised on a settlement agreement case involving the editorship of a leading global news website.
• Acted for a client in the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Court of Appeal in a claim for unfair dismissal.

Michelle advises on collective and individual redundancies, TUPE transfers, and employment issues during business restructurings.

• Advised seven employees on the termination of their employment by Nomura following a redundancy exercise.
• Advised the administrators of Comet on employment law issues related to the collective redundancy of 6,500 employees and complex TUPE matters.
• Advised a global shipping company on collective redundancy and TUPE consultation and jurisdictional issues.
• Advised an international energy company on the closure of a mine in Wales, with over 250 job losses, including collective and individual redundancy obligations, negotiations with trade unions and drafting communications.
• Represented a departing director in a complex and highly sensitive team move case in the High Court.
• Advised a London brewery on employment aspects of acquiring its first cider farm.

Michelle advises financial institutions and senior employees on employment law, whistleblowing, exit arrangements, and disputes involving confidential information.

• Advised SME Invoice Finance on employment law aspects of its acquisition by Metro Bank.
• Advised employee representatives and over 40 employees on employment law aspects of the transfer of their employment from JP Morgan to Mercuria.
• Successfully secured a substantial six-figure settlement in a whistleblowing allegation against a financial services institution.
• Advised a senior HR Director in a FTSE financial services company on her grievance and exit following sexual harassment by the CEO.
• Acted for one of the world’s largest insurance brokers in four separate High Court interim-relief applications for misuse of confidential information and breaches of restrictive covenants, including drafting witness statements, pleadings, correspondence and settlement agreements, and conducting disclosure exercises.

Recognised by The Legal 500  for Employment: Senior Executives 2021-2022 & 2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Employment: Employers 2020

Member of the Employment Lawyers Association