Paul McAleavey

Paul is an employment solicitor equally comfortable advising businesses and employees. He has a decade of experience at top-ranked London law firms, including in the City of London.

Paul joined Girlings in 2017 from Tier-1 ranked City of London employment practice BDBF LLP, having trained at leading Westminster firm Bircham Dyson Bell LLP, qualifying as a Solicitor in 2008. Paul is a Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer.

His extensive experience of advising both businesses and individuals mean he can identify and exploit the points which concern an opponent and strengthen his client’s case. He has acted for a diverse range of employers, ranging from household names to SMEs. Paul helps businesses avoid issues in the workplace by providing day-to-day HR support as well as drafting contracts and handbooks and has defended many employers in the Employment Tribunal, including by conducting advocacy on their behalf. He enjoys helping clients to resolve workplace matters to allow them to focus on running their businesses or building their professional careers.

Examples of matters that Paul has worked on include:

Acting for a household-name employer in the successful resolution of an employment tribunal claim for discrimination and harassment.
Advising a technology platform and its associated mobile app on the employment law aspects of running an employment business.
Successfully resolving an Employment Tribunal claim brought against a senior executive on territorial jurisdictional grounds.
Advising a leading London medical clinic on the termination of employment of a senior manager following a high profile and sensitive dispute.
Advising a large car dealership on the TUPE aspects of its corporate transaction.
Successfully clearing the name of a lawyer in a national law firm accused of potentially career-ending misconduct.
Helping an executive avoid court proceedings threatened by a former employer and establish a new business.

On the employee side, Paul can help individuals resolve matters of concern to them in the workplace, including on bonus disputes, Employment Tribunal claims, the enforceability of post-termination restrictions and obtaining favourable severance packages. He has a wealth of experience in advising a diverse range of senior executives in the banking, advertising and media sectors, as well as doctors, lawyers and members of partnerships, from both LLPs and ’traditional’ partnerships. Paul helps individuals obtain severance packages that protect their financial position and professional reputation and can help individuals litigate where necessary. He is experienced in advising employees facing potentially career-ending disciplinary allegations, including where regulatory or criminal proceedings are involved. He has advised clients facing action from bodies including the Financial Conduct Authority, the police and the General Medical Council. Paul has a particular interest in advising employees who face difficulties in the workplace due to illness.

Paul regularly writes for and is quoted in the press and radio, most recently in The Times, City A.M. and the Financial Times. He is a member of the Employment Lawyers’ Association.

Paul is regularly invited to contribute to think tank discussions on a number of Employment Law issues and has contributed the work done on agency workers’ rights by the Resolution Foundation, including speaking at an event in Westminster.

Paul is also Training Partner at Girlings, with responsibility for selecting, overseeing, and nurturing our trainee solicitors.

Employment Law for Businesses Employment Law for Individuals