Rachel Flynn

Rachel is instructed on an array of employment-related issues including negotiating settlement agreements, dismissal, disciplinary, and grievance procedures, employment tribunal claims, and restructuring and redundancy.

• Advised on restrictive covenants and negotiated the exit of a director on agreed terms within 48 hours.
• Successfully defended in the Employment Tribunal a claim by the former MD for unpaid wages.
• Dealt with the management and exit of an employee raising multiple complaints of discrimination and several grievances.
• Strategic commercial advice on issues arising from an intended team move.
• Advised an educational institution on challenging employment issues.
• Advised Racing UK, Turf TV and RMG on various employment issues.
• Strategic TUPE advice for a leading stud farm.
• Advised an Isle of Man-based international business and its shareholders in relation to potential unfair prejudice and employment matters arising in relation to settling with a departing shareholder founder and employee.
• Provided strategic employment law advice to the Irish human resources team in a redundancy exercise that is constantly evolving and which is likely to result in the dismissal by reason of redundancy of several of this Irish based client’s staff in England.
• Advised and supported a global financial services company throughout the grievance and subsequent disciplinary process for several complex grievances made by individuals within the sales team against their manager, which involved complaints of bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
• Advised on very difficult matter involving a director/founder/shareholder who had raised multiple grievances and already been offered a settlement agreement without taking legal advice.
• Advised the US parent of a newly founded crypto FX business that had recruited its first employee and wished to recruit his former colleagues without inducing a breach of contract.
• Provided a range of employment law advice to a law firm in the East of England. They have made great strides very quickly, opening three offices and operating an interesting and novel engagement model.
• Provided advice on various employment law aspects to a departing founder, shareholder and employee of a rapidly growing tech business.
• Provided strategic employment law advice and assistance to the Irish human resources team in a redundancy exercise likely to result in the dismissal by reason of redundancy of several of this Irish based client’s staff in England.
• Advised the client on several grievances made by individuals within the sales team against their manager. It involved complaints of bullying and harassment and discrimination.
• Provided advice on various employment and HR aspects to pharmaceutical client relating to defence claims of unfair prejudice and unfair dismissal a former founder.
• Advised a global HR director on the termination of her employment with an advantageous and substantial package in a prompt and timely manner.
• Advised a senior independent financial advisor on her exit from a business that she had co-founded with a business partner.

Rachel is an experienced employment lawyer with a market-leading sector specialism in the horseracing and equine world. She regularly advises businesses and their executives, and private clients.

• Provided employment law and HR advice and support to one of the leading bloodstock and stud operators, in particular, in relation to the intended exit of a senior and long-serving member of staff in sensitive and difficult circumstances. 
• Provided specialist equine law and employment advice in structuring the creation of a club and syndicates for a Middle East-based equine lifestyle opportunity. The constitution of the intended racing syndicate/part-ownership was very quickly produced in accordance with British Horseracing Authority rules. 
• Drafted and advised on a sale and part-ownership agreement for the sale for a seven-figure sum of a 50% share of an Olympic dressage horse who was changing nationality. 
• Advised a HK based family office on HR management/employment in relation to their London-based butler. 
• Dealing with professional negligence claims against veterinary surgeons and negotiating settlements with the Veterinary Defence Society. 
• Advised on contracts for the sale and training of an international show jumper. 
• Advised on a dispute over the sale of a leisure horse for a significant sum in circumstances where the buyer and seller had their names and reputations to protect but the horse was unsatisfactory for veterinary reasons and owing to its unpredictable behaviour. 

Rachel is an experienced employment lawyer with a market-leading sector specialism in the horseracing and equine world. She regularly advises businesses and their executives, and private clients. 

• Advised a HK based family office on HR management/employment in relation to their London-based butler. 
• Dealing with professional negligence claims against veterinary surgeons and negotiating settlements with the Veterinary Defence Society. 
• Advised on contracts for the sale and training of an international show jumper. 
• Advised on a dispute over the sale of a leisure horse for a significant sum in circumstances where buyer and seller had their names and reputations to protect but the horse was unsatisfactory for veterinary reasons and owing to its unpredictable behaviour. 
• Provided employment law and HR advice and support to one of the leading bloodstock and stud operators. In particular, in relation to the intended exit of a senior and long-serving member of staff in sensitive and difficult circumstances. 
• Provided specialist equine law and employment advice in structuring the creation of a club and syndicates for a Middle East-based equine lifestyle opportunity. The constitution of the intended racing syndicate/part-ownership was very quickly produced in accordance with British Horseracing Authority rules. 
• Drafted and advised on a sale and part-ownership agreement for the sale for a seven-figure sum of a 50% share of an Olympic dressage horse who was changing nationality. 

Rachel is an experienced employment lawyer with a market-leading sector specialism in the horseracing and equine world. She acts for high-profile clients within the industry on a wide range of legal issues where racing and breeding knowledge are required. 

• Principal legal advisors to The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, providing a legal advice helpline to their 2,500 members. 
• Legal advisors to the European Breeders’ Fund, advising on strategic constitutional issues and internal restructure. 
• Acted for a leading UK stud in relation to a dispute with Tattersalls over the sale of a horse in training. 
• Advised a well-known Newmarket stud farm on various thorny employment law issues. 
• Advised Jockey Club Racecourses on a diverse range of legal issues. 
• Dealing with professional negligence claims against veterinary surgeons and negotiating settlements with the Veterinary Defence Society. 
• Advised on contracts for the sale and training of an international show jumper. 
• Advised on a contract for sale and part-ownership of a valuable broodmare prospect to the US. 
• Dealt with insurance claims relating to first-season infertility of stallions. 
• Successfully defended at trial a Tribunal claim against a Newmarket stud 
• Speaker at British Horseracing Authority trainers’ course on leadership skills. 
• Advised The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and British Horseracing Authority on their guide, Health and Safety in the Racing and Breeding Industry. 
• Acted for a leading and acquisitive force in the global horse racing, breeding, and bloodstock world. 
• Acted for a leading racehorse trainer regarding their intended proposed changes to the horse racing industry standard staff employment contract to reflect their own modern working practices. 
• Acted for a horse racing-related charitable housing organisation which was planning a restructure of one of its divisions and had received initial advice on the employment implications of its intended proposal. 
• Advising The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association on a wide variety of legal enquiries on behalf of its 3,000 members. 
• Acted for a high-profile major stud owner in relation to employment law advice. 
• Advised on a dispute over the sale of a leisure horse for a significant sum in circumstances where buyer and seller had their names and reputations to protect but the horse was unsatisfactory for veterinary reasons and owing to its unpredictable behaviour. 
• Conducted a strategic review of employment arrangements and contracts for all staff of a charity distributing funds to charitable causes within the racing and thoroughbred industry. 
• Provided employment law and HR advice and support to one of the leading bloodstock and stud operators. In particular, in relation to the intended exit of a senior and long-serving member of staff in sensitive and difficult circumstances. 
• Provided specialist equine law and employment advice in structuring the creation of a club and syndicates for a Middle East-based equine lifestyle opportunity. The constitution of the intended racing syndicate/part-ownership was very quickly produced in accordance with British Horseracing Authority rules. 
• Conducted a review of The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s standard terms for a member mare boarding agreement and the industry-standard terms for the sale of stallion nominations, on both 1st October and Live foal terms, and an outline foal share agreement. 
• Drafted and advised on a sale and part-ownership agreement for the sale for a seven-figure sum of a 50% share of an Olympic dressage horse who was changing nationality. 
• Advised the organisers of a global interest charity event on the legal aspects of a sale of nominations on a pro bono basis, which took place within three weeks of the conception of the idea. 
• Advised TBA members on maintenance of employment documents, and on a range of specialist horseracing and equine topics. This included advice on employment law, part-ownership agreements, and bespoke breeding stock arrangements as well as litigation, including professional negligence and non-payment of invoices. 
• Provided advice to client relating to a mare boarding stud on the recovery of money owed by an ex pat businessperson. This involved advice on the interface with debts owed to others in respect of the mares and the best strategic approach to recovering the monies from the sale of the mares and their offspring. 
• Acted for a major stallion stud in the recovery of high-value nomination fees from an individual whose assets (including the relevant broodmares and other breeding stock) were the subject of a freezing order from the FCA. 
• Advised a leading sales consignor and boarding stud on limiting the value of claims under a care custody and control liability document. 
• Helped a major stallion stud to explain and set down in terms a novel set of draft new terms for sale for stallion nominations with original and different payment terms. 
• Helped a leading Newmarket-based racehorse trainer with several different staffing issues. 
• Advised a high-level executive in the horse racing industry on the end of his employment. Involved sensitive negotiations done in a direct but non-confrontational way to secure the best possible outcome in the shortest time. 

Rachel is an experienced employment lawyer with a market-leading sector specialism in the horseracing and equine world, often advising on employment-related matters for stud farms. 

• Advised on one of the biggest stud farm purchases of the last 30 years. 
• Advising on the employment and bloodstock work for a stud farm. 
• Advised an entrepreneurial client on a difficult matter prior to the insolvency of their company, having raised multiple grievances and already been offered a settlement agreement without taking legal advice, and the client was looking for a rescue package. 
• Advised an individual on the management and resolution of a dispute with family members regarding the estate of a late relative. 
• Advised a mare boarding stud on the recovery of money owed by an ex-pat businessman. This involved advice on the interface with debts owed to others in respect of the mares and the best strategic approach to recovering the monies from the sale of the mares and their offspring. 

Rachel Flynn is an employment lawyer with experience advising charities, in particular those in the equine and bloodstock industry. She advises both businesses and their executives on matters such as exit strategy negotiations and tribunal claims. 

• Managed out the longstanding CEO of a large charity in sensitive circumstances requiring tact, diplomacy, and strategic negotiation skills. This allowed the charity to manage their departure and the CEO to leave in an organised way with dignity. 
• Providing The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s legal assistance to a members’ telephone advice scheme to its 2,500 thoroughbred breeder members 
• Advised within 24 hours in writing on the employment implications of a proposed reorganisation/restructure between two related charities. 
• Provided guidance to The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association members on child and vulnerable adult safeguarding. 
• Advised on changes to the constitution of The Racing Foundation. 
• Advised on an Employment Tribunal claim, investigation and exit process for the senior management team and the Board of a London-based charity that works globally and provides humanitarian support, in relation to an employee whose employment was terminated due to performance issues. 
• Conducted a strategic review of employment arrangements for one of the major charitable donors within the racing industry. 
• Conducted a review of The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s standard terms for a member mare boarding agreement and the industry-standard terms for the sale of stallion nominations, on both 1st October and Live foal terms, and an outline foal share agreement. 
• Advised the organisers of a global interest charity event on the legal aspects of a sale of nominations on a pro bono basis, which took place within three weeks of the conception of the idea. 
• Advised TBA members on maintenance of employment documents, and on a range of specialist horseracing and equine topics This included advice on employment law, part-ownership agreements and bespoke breeding stock arrangements as well as litigation, including professional negligence and non-payment of invoices. 
• Advised The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and British Horseracing Authority on their guide, Health and Safety in the Racing and Breeding Industry. 

Recognised by Chambers UK for Sport: Horse Racing & Equestrian 2021–2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Sport 2020–2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Employment 2024–2026

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Sport 2018

Founder member of Women in Racing

Member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA)