"Kate Gardner is by far THE BEST employment lawyer in the country in our opinion. Kate knows our business inside and out, provides us with practical operational advice and in a cost-effective manner."

Legal 500 2025

"Kate is well regarded."

Chambers UK 2024

'Very personable and good with clients'

Chambers UK 2023

I am an experienced employment lawyer who advises employers in both the private and public sectors on the full range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters.

I advise on a range of global businesses, private companies, landed estates, many SMEs and senior executives. I regularly advise businesses on restructuring and redundancies, managing employee issues, discrimination in the work place and on a wide variety of employment disputes and claims in the Employment Tribunal.

I have particular expertise in the agricultural and education sectors, and in advising on the TUPE and employment aspects of corporate transactions and TUPE related disputes.

I am well known for my commerciality and pragmatic advice in dealing with senior executive exits, and regularly receives personal referrals to advise high ranking individuals in this regard.

I am a frequent speaker at conferences and provides training to clients on a wide range of employment law issues.

I am ranked in Band 3 for Employment in the South West by Chambers UK, and am a recommended lawyer by the Legal 500.

Recent experience

Successfully defending an Unfair dismissal and sex discrimination employee claim in the Employment Tribunal for a national Retirement and Care Home organisation. The success was of particular significance and importance for the client as other employees had brought related claims which were subsequently withdrawn following their success in the Tribunal.

Advising a large country house estate, which offers commercial catering, reception, and other tourism attractions, on a complete restructuring of management and employees, including full advice on furloughing. The process included negotiating and achieving settlement agreements for senior staff. The matter was made more complex by the issue of an unfair dismissal claim during the process, but a settlement, favourable to the client was also achieved.

Dealing with the serious misconduct of a senior manager in our client’s large Accountancy practice, complicated by that employee’s long term absence and ill health, concerning which he claimed disability discrimination. The client was very concerned to preserve the excellent professional reputation of the business. Following Kate’s advice, a comprehensive and favourable settlement was achieved.

Gardner, Kate
L500_uk-recommended-lawyer-2023
Kate Gardner
Kate Gardner sml