“People want their legal advisers to offer opinions, not to just sit on the fence. I always try to help clients to find pragmatic solutions that achieve their business objectives, rather than just giving guidance on the law.”

Sam acts for a wide range of clients across various sectors, with a particular focus on the offshore energy and marine sectors. He is an expert on seafarer employment issues, including obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 and the application of UK employment law to internationally mobile workers.

Sam advises on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious employment law matters. He works closely with clients to provide strategic, commercial advice on more complex employment law issues. He has significant experience in advising clients on strategic projects such as restructuring, redundancy, and changing terms and conditions.

He is also an experienced Employment Tribunal advocate, with an established track record of delivering successful outcomes for clients. He frequently conducts Employment Tribunal hearings in Scotland, England and Wales.

Areas of practice include:

Employment

Sector experience includes:

Energy and Natural Resources

Admitted

2014: Scotland

Relevant experience

Acting for a FTSE 100 company in successfully defending a whistleblowing claim.
Acting for a multinational offshore drilling contractor in successfully challenging the jurisdiction of the UK Employment Tribunal to hear claims brought by a seafarer working on UK-flagged vessels outside of UK waters.
Acting for a major Scottish retail business in successfully defending claims for disability discrimination, race discrimination and constructive dismissal.
Advising a global energy client in relation to UK national minimum wage and discrimination considerations in respect of the pay structure for the client’s multinational offshore workforce.
Advising a major oil and gas company in respect of a wide-scale job regrading exercise, including in relation to equal pay and discrimination considerations.
Advising an offshore employers’ association in relation to complex industrial action queries, including the territorial scope of UK strike legislation, and various issues involving overseas employees working outside the UK.
Advising a global energy client on the employment implications of a major acquisition, including a TUPE consultation process, extensive benefits harmonisation exercise and collective redundancy process.
Advising multiple clients in various sectors in respect of large-scale redundancy and restructuring projects where collective consultation obligations were engaged.