Kenworthy’s Chambers’ Matthew Todd recently created bespoke Employment Law training courses for Manchester City Council. The Employment Barrister delivered two courses in a single day for a small team from the council who visited our modern office space housed in the beautiful Victoria buildings.

Manchester City Council requested bespoke Employment Law courses on ‘Unfair VS Wrongful Dismissal’ and ‘Drafting Grounds of Resistance, Witness Statements and Briefs to Counsel’. Kenworthy’s Chambers hosted these in the morning and the afternoon respectively to meet the council’s requirements.

Unfair VS Wrongful Dismissal

Matthew Todd laid out three key considerations for unfair dismissal cases, five ‘potentially’ fair reasons for dismissal, and the most common automatically unfair reasons for dismissal.

‘Unfair VS Wrongful Dismissal’ detailed how to determine whether there was a fair process by examining each of the five ‘potentially’ fair reasons for dismissal: conduct; capability; statutory restriction; redundancy; and some other substantial reason (SOSR).

The Employment Barrister explained that for a dismissal to qualify as ‘wrongful dismissal’, the way it took place must breach one, or more, of the terms in the employees’ contract. He spotlighted relevant caselaw on negligence in wrongful dismissal cases, how wrongful dismissals are remedied, and potential future changes to the Employment Rights Bill.

Drafting Grounds of Resistance, Witness Statements and Briefs to Counsel

Matthew Todd detailed the best practice for drafting grounds of resistance and engaging with clients. He also provided tips on how to get the best evidence, how to structure the grounds of resistance, and what to avoid.

The bespoke course also covered the best practice for drafting witness statements, detailing what to include and how to tell a story effectively. Manchester City Council received pro tips on working effectively with witnesses and learned how to structure witness statements.

Employment Barrister Matthew Todd also taught what briefs to counsel should contain and the two main approaches for achieving settlements in negotiations. 

Bespoke Legal Training Courses

If your firm requires bespoke legal training, please email bruce@kenworthys.co.uk to discover whether Kenworthy’s Chambers can create a CPD course for you. We regularly host free webinars that users can browse and register for by visiting our Events Page.

Matthew Todd has previously delivered an Employment Law Talk for Slater and Gordon Lawyers, Waheed Baber has lectured Soldiers on the Criminal Justice System, and Sarah Cook recently delivered an Advocacy Skills Workshop for Pearsons Legal Family Lawyers.

The feedback from Manchester City Council on ‘Unfair VS Wrongful Dismissal’ and ‘Drafting Grounds of Resistance, Witness Statements and Briefs to Counsel’ speaks to the skills and expertise Kenworthy’s Chambers possesses in providing training for the legal industry. 

One attendee described Kenworthy’s training, saying it was “A very interesting day, covering some essential principles of employment law and information we need to consider. Matthew Todd provided great tips on how to improve communication and instructions to counsel to ensure the smooth running and success of our proceedings.”

Another Manchester City Council employee said, “The training Matthew delivered allowed the team to come together and ensure we are all adopting best practice when it comes our roles in the legal field. The training really pinpointed the areas we need to be aware of in terms of unfair dismissal.”

“The training was very informative, particularly the guidance on best practices for drafting grounds of resistance and witness statements, this was a good practical lesson.”

The attendees were impressed with Matthew Todd as a speaker, with one remarking that “Matthew is extremely approachable and was able to express things in a user-friendly way given the different levels of experience in the room. His training opened many insightful discussions among the team. We think he’d work well with our clients and put them at ease.”

Another Council Worker provided positive feedback, stating “I thought the speaker was very clear, very friendly and knowledgeable. I found the slides easy to follow, and the session was a good length.”

Matthew Todd represents employers and employees in all areas of Employment Law, including discrimination cases, equal pay, unfair dismissal, and TUPE. If you have an Employment Law case you need advice or advocacy for, call our Employment Clerks Michael Jones and Alessandro Saporita-Clark on 0161 832 4036, email Mike@kenworthys.co.uk, Alessandro@kenworthys.co.uk, or fill out our contact form.