Introduction
Connor joined Chambers following the successful completion of his pupillage. Connor completed a specialist employment and personal injury pupillage under the supervision of Sofia Ashraf, Paul Wilson, and Sophie Garner.
Connor has worked on a wide range of employment, personal injury, and costs matters. He accepts instructions in all corresponding areas of Chambers’ practice.
Connor particularly welcomes instructions relating to advice and drafting at an early stage of proceedings. He strives to work closely with his clients to provide proactive assistance throughout proceedings, ensuring the best possible outcome.
Prior to pupillage, Connor taught employment and commercial law at Durham University. Connor also worked as a paralegal in a firm of solicitors, and gained courtroom experience as a County Court Advocate.
Away from the Bar, Connor enjoys bouldering and cooking, and has a growing vinyl record collection.
Employment Law
Connor has successfully advised and represented claimants and respondents in the Employment Tribunal. Connor also has experience of non-employment discrimination in the civil courts. He has dealt with, among other things, issues spanning:
- Unfair and wrongful dismissal;
- Discrimination, and disputes arising from disabilities;
- Harassment;
- Victimisation;
- Whistleblowing;
- Unlawful deductions from wages;
- Issues surrounding time limits;
- Open- and closed- preliminary hearings, including successfully applying for strike out;
- Pre-issue advice and negotiation and Judicial Mediation; and,
- Minimum wage disputes.
Connor recently successfully represented a respondent in a three-day whistleblowing dispute.
Torts and Personal Injury
Connor regularly advises and represents claimants and defendants in the County Court. He has a range of experience, including occupiers’ liability, RTA and Credit Hire matters, disputes that fall within the EL/PL and RTA protocols, and the OIC Portal. Connor also has experience in clinical negligence matters in his own right, and is increasingly instructed in personal injury disputes concerning fraud and Fundamental Dishonesty. Connor is instructed on disputes that range from the Small Claims Track to the Multi-Track.
Connor is also increasingly instructed in matters arising from torts that do not result in personal injury. Examples include nuisance, negligence, package travel claims and false imprisonment.
Costs and commercial
Connor is keen to accept instructions across the full range of specialist costs disputes. During his pupillage, Connor gained experience in costs disputes in the County Court and the Employment Tribunal. Connor has a particular experience in:
- Detailed assessment proceedings and solicitor-client costs assessments;
- Disputes surrounding the application of the fixed costs regimes, past and present;
- Qualified One Way Costs Shifting;
- Issues arising out of allocation to the Fast Track and Intermediate Track;
- Costs and Case Management Conferences, allocation and interim hearings;
- Wasted costs orders; and
- Claims concerning the recovery of solicitors’ fees.
During his time as a paralegal, Connor also assisted with an appeal to the Court of Appeal concerning the rights of beneficiaries of a will to challenge solicitors fees.
More broadly, Connor is at home advising and representing clients in commercial matters arising out of contracts, nuisance and negligence.
Education
BPC, University of Law: Outstanding
Master of Jurisprudence (by research), University of Durham: Pass Without Corrections
LLB (Hons), Law, University of Durham: 2:1
Selected Awards & Prizes
Gray’s Inn Lord Justice Holt Scholarship (BPTC)
University of Law, Birmingham: BPC Best Overall Student
