Nathan Donaldson

Nathan regularly represents clients in complex and high-profile discrimination cases, including race, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, and transgender claims.

• Represented 4 New Square Chambers in its successful defence of the £33m claim brought by Dr Bijlani for race and disability discrimination which attracted significant legal and press coverage.
• Successfully represented one of the claimants in the US class action lawsuit against Dresdner Kleinwort brought by six female employees who were seeking $1.4bn (£709m) for discrimination post-return from maternity leave.
• Represented a city banker against a US bank which resulted in a settlement of £1.3m.
• Successfully brought claims against easyJet and an independent garden centre for marital status discrimination.
• Represented a City law firm in its defence of a sexual orientation discrimination claim.
• Successfully defended an international hotel chain against a claim for transgender discrimination.

Nathan advises both employers and senior executives on claims of unfair dismissal and whistleblowing, often in matters attracting significant regulatory or press interest.

• Represented an investment banker who was the ‘whistleblower’ regarding a rogue trader involving multi-million-pound trade losses within a European investment bank with the matter attracting significant media and regulatory interest.
• Provided a second opinion to panel insurers on merits regarding a claim of unfair dismissal by a Chief Executive of a London local authority arising out of a notorious baby abuse case.
• Represented Neville Thurlbeck in his claims of unfair dismissal and whistleblowing against the News of the World.

Nathan’s wider employment practice includes advising major organisations, charities, and care providers on contracts, TUPE, and complex tribunal litigation.

• Advised a billionaire on the establishment of his successful Mayfair private members’ club.
• Successfully defended Angel Services (UK) Limited in Kimberley Group Housing Ltd v Hambley, Leena Homes Ltd and Angel Services (UK) [2008] UKEAT/0488/07/RN; [2008] IRLR 682, a leading TUPE service provision change case which involved an alleged transfer of a £240m Home Office Housing contract.
• Drafted terms of employment, contracts and staff handbooks for organisations such as Radisson (Edwardian Group London), Brookfield, ChinaWhite, Quantum Care, Ravensbourne, and Southwark College.
• Acted for Barchester Healthcare for a number of years and currently acts for Quantum Care Ltd, Hertfordshire’s largest care home provider.
• Acting in a number of Employment Tribunal claims associated with the group action against care home providers, the government and regulatory agencies arising out of the mandatory vaccination scheme.

Nathan has significant experience advising hospitality businesses, hotel groups, and leisure operators on employment law issues, from large-scale restructures to staff policies.

• Advised a hotel group on employment issues related to the sale of 11 of its 13 hotels.
• Advised a chain of hotels in relation to making 1,300 redundancies and in its renegotiation of contractual terms.
• Advised on employment issues related to a purchase of a hotel for Curious Drakes (Brighton) Limited 2023.
• Advised on employment issues related to the purchase of a hotel for Ivymax 2 Ltd.
• Advised a billionaire on the establishment of his successful Mayfair private members’ club.
• Drafted terms of employment, contracts and staff handbooks for organisations such as Radisson (Edwardian Group London), Brookfield, ChinaWhite, Quantum Care, Ravensbourne, and Southwark College.
• Successfully defended an international hotel chain against a claim for transgender discrimination.

Member of the Employment Lawyers Association