Source: http://devereuxchambers.co.uk/barristers/profile/thomas-cordrey
Timestamp: 2018-12-16 20:30:51
Document Index: 722600131

Matched Legal Cases: ['EWCA ', 'EWCA ', 'EWCA ', 'EWCA ', 'EWCA ', 'art 20']

"He is pragmatic in his advice and highly organised"
Thomas’ practice encompasses the full employment spectrum. He is the youngest editor of Harvey on Industrial Relations and Employment Law and in the past year has appeared three times in the Court of Appeal including twice in front of Underhill LJ who described being assisted by Thomas’ “clear and focused skeleton argument and oral submissions”. Thomas was featured in The Lawyer with reference to some of the ten appearances he has made at the EAT in the past two years, three of which have been before the President of the EAT, Simler J. The President described Thomas as having made “helpful, cogent submissions" in British Gas v Price and as having provided "able assistance” both orally and in writing, in Gould v St John Downshire Hill. Thomas is experienced in High Court litigation, including two, reported, multi-day trials in the past twelve months. As part of Thomas’ role on the Bar Council's legislative and guidance subcommittee he has co-authored (with Michael Duggan QC) the Bar Council’s Tackling Sexual Harassment Guide.
Court of Appeal: Thomas acted in the test case of De Souza v Vinci Construction (UK) Ltd [2017] EWCA Civ 879, [2017] IRLR 844 in which Gross LJ said "First, I would pay tribute to the logical and cogent argument advanced by Mr Cordrey" and Underhill LJ said "Mr Cordrey again appeared for the Respondent, and we were assisted by his clear and focused skeleton argument and oral submissions". Thomas has also acted this year in the Court of Appeal in Bridging Loans Ltd v Toombs [2017] EWCA Civ 205 and in Xerox UK Ltd v Jahan Zeb (A2/2016/1180). A further Court of Appeal case in which Thomas is acting unled, Srivatsa v Secretary of State for Health (A2/2016/4450), will be heard in 2018. Thomas previously appeared in the Court of Appeal (led by Colin Wynter QC) in Brown-Quinn v Equity Syndicate Management Ltd [2012] EWCA Civ 1633; [2013] 1 WLR 1740.
EAT: In total, Thomas has appeared over 20 times in the EAT in England and Scotland, including cases in front of the last three Presidents of the EAT. Underhill P described Thomas' submissions as "cogent" and "clear and helpful" in McFarlane v Relate Avon Plc [2010] ICR 507 and according to Simler P Thomas "made helpful, cogent submissions" in British Gas v Price (2016) UKEAT/0326/15/DM and provided “able assistance” both “orally and in writing” in Gould v Trustees of St John Downshire Hill (2017) UKEAT/0115/17. Thomas was featured in The Lawyer in 2016 as the top employment barrister in the UK when measured by number of appearances in the EAT for different clients. He appeared 7 times, representing the Secretary of State for Health, British Gas plc and Xerox Corporation, amongst others.
Reported cases: Thomas' reported cases include: De Souza v Vinci Construction (UK) Ltd [2017] EWCA Civ 879, [2017] IRLR 844; Grainger v North East London NHS Foundation Trust [2017] EWHC 2254 (QB); [2017] IRLR 981; Eiger Securities LLP v Korshunova [2017] IRLR 115; Srivatsa v Secretary of State for Health [2016] EWHC 2916 (QB); [2017] ICR D5; Xerox Business Services Philippines v Zeb [2017] WLR(D) 737; De Souza v Vinci Construction Ltd [2015] ICR 1054 & [2015] IRLR 536; Chawla v Hewlett Packard Ltd [2015] IRLR 356; General Dynamics v Carranza [2015] ICR 169 & [2015] IRLR 43; Brown-Quinn v Equity Syndicate Management Ltd [2012] EWCA Civ 1633; Brown Quinn v Equity Syndicate [2011] EWHC 2661 (Comm); [2012] 1 All E.R. 778; and McFarlane v Relate Avon Plc [2010] ICR 507 & [2010] IRLR 196.
High Court: Thomas is familiar with High Court litigation and civil procedure thanks to his complementary expertise in commercial law (see for example Toombs v Bridging Loans Ltd [2014] EWHC 4566 (QB)). Recent High Court employment trials include Grainger v North East London NHS Foundation Trust [2017] EWHC 2254 (QB); [2017] IRLR 981, a four day High Court breach of contract claim, and Srivatsa v Secretary of State for Health [2016] EWHC 2916 (QB); [2017] ICR D5, a complex 3 day High Court estoppel case related to proceedings in which Thomas also acted in several interlocutory hearings before High Court Masters, an appeal in the High Court and an appeal in the EAT.
In Chawla v Hewlett Packard Thomas represented Hewlett Packard in a discrimination claim which an Employment Judge described as having reached "almost unmanageable proportions". Thomas acted in four Preliminary Hearings, a thirteen day discrimination trial, a two day EAT hearing and an appeal to the Court of Appeal which was subsequently discontinued by the Claimant.
Discrimination claims: Thomas is "very good on discrimination cases" (Chambers UK 2014). He has recently acted in one of the few marriage discrimination claims to reach the EAT (Gould v Trustees of St John Downshire Hill (2017) UKEAT/0115/17) and his reported cases include a leading disability discrimination claim (General Dynamics v Carranza [2015] ICR 169), one of the landmark precedents on religious discrimination (McFarlane v Relate Avon Plc [2010] ICR 507) and an important, reported, reasonable adjustments Tribunal claim (Bryan v BT [2014] EqLR 632).
Claimant and Respondent, multi-sector: Thomas acts for both Claimants and Respondents and has acted in Tribunal claims for over £1 million. In the past twelve months, for example, Thomas has successfully represented multiple Claimants at contested hearings who have been awarded six-figure sums. In 2016 / 2017 Thomas has represented a full range of Respondents including investment and retail banks, global technology companies, energy sector, telecommunications, media organisations and public sector bodies including the NHS and Metropolitan Police.
Whistleblowing & TUPE: Thomas has “notable expertise in complex TUPE issues” (Chambers UK 2017), the latest example of which is the offshoring TUPE case of Xerox Business Services Philippines v Zeb [2017] WLR(D) 737 (see also Thomas’ case of Srivatsa v Secretary of State for Health (UKEAT/0212/15/RN). Thomas is very experienced in whistleblowing cases, and acted in the leading case of Eiger Securities LLP v Korshunova [2017] IRLR 115.
Publications: Thomas has recently been appointed as the youngest member on the editorial board of Harvey on Industrial Relations and Employment Law, joining the existing authors including consultant editor Lord Justice Elias and EAT judge Jennifer Eady QC. Thomas has also co-authored (with Michael Duggan QC) the Bar Council's Tackling Sexual Harassment Guide. Until recently Thomas was author of various chapters of Bloomsbury Professional's two volume work, Discrimination Law.
As well as drafting pleadings, settling schedules and appearing at CCMCs, Thomas has experience of advising on fast track and multi track cases in relation to liability and quantum. He also accepts instructions to appear at inquests. Thomas is a PIBA member.
Thomas' cases include:
McKeever v Motorsport Vision & ors (represented the Claimant in two High Court CMCs, dealing with issues such as expert evidence)
Dey v NYK Logistics (acted for the paralysed victim of a multi-vehicle RTA at the inquest into the death of another driver)
Smeaton v Ministry of Defence (represented the Claimant in a multi track claim for PTSD, opposing an application by the Defendant to rely on expert evidence rather than the Ogden life multiplier)
White v CICA (represented the appellant - the victim of an assault by off-duty police officers - in an appeal against the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority)
Earey v Ascot Racecourse Ltd & Anderson Ltd (represented the Claimant defending an application for Part 20 costs)
R Lal v London Brick Co (represented the Applicant in an application for pre-action disclosure)
W Brown v Birmingham CC (represented the Claimant in 2 day multi-track case in which the Claimant was awarded £25,000)
ELA, ELBA, COMBAR, PNBA, PIBA