Workplace investigations

Our employment lawyers have extensive experience of conducting workplace investigations on behalf of companies, firms, partnerships and LLPs.

The team is co-led by Head of Employment and partner Joseph Lappin, who has a wealth of experience of carrying out investigations, including having worked previously as an investigating officer for a Big Four professional services firm; and partner Charlie Thompson, who has extensive experience of workplace investigations including in financial services, professional services, sports, media and entertainment.

What we investigate

The Stewarts work investigations team have conducted several investigations on behalf of employers, including investigations concerning:

• Bullying
• Discrimination and harassment
• Sexual misconduct
• Misconduct
• Whistleblowing
• Expenses fraud

We conduct investigations for:

• Law firms
• Professional services firms
• Financial institutions
• Sports organisations and bodies
• Media and entertainment organisations
• FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies

If mishandled, workplace investigations can lead to employment litigation, significant liabilities and reputational harm. We work with our clients to guide them through an investigation, identify the key issues and priorities to devise an efficient strategy, and draft appropriate terms of reference for the investigation.

We put in place appropriate structural safeguards to ensure the confidentiality and smooth progression of the investigation. From the outset, we focus on setting the tone for a credible and effective inquiry.

What sets us apart

Our investigations team is often instructed on an urgent basis to act on discrete pieces of work for businesses, including where panel firms may be conflicted or where a truly independent investigator is needed. Investigations are always partner-led. In the context of a workplace investigation, the team can give ‘privileged’ advice, and advise employers on regulatory and legal obligations, and data protection laws.

In addition to managing our clients’ internal work, we are experts in handling all other relevant aspects of risk mitigation. As the UK’s largest disputes-only law firm, we can bring to bear the expertise of dedicated specialists in various disciplines to tackle all relevant angles of an investigation. Drawing on the expertise of our colleagues in the commercial departments, we can manage communications with regulators in the UK and overseas and assist with any parallel civil litigation.

Our Employment team is ranked in both the Legal 500 and Chambers guides, the leading UK legal directories. Joseph and Charlie are also ranked as individuals. The team has extensive experience acting for both employers and employees in legal disputes, and can bring a holistic view to conducting an investigation.