Helena Derbyshire
UK Guide 2025
Band 4 : Employment: Employer
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
44.20.7519.7086Share profile
Band 4
About
Provided by Helena Derbyshire
Practice Areas
Helena Derbyshire has over 20 years of experience advising employers and senior executives on a wide range of employment issues, ranging from strategic advice on the labour law aspects of corporate transactions and business reorganisations, to the day-to-day employment matters faced by business managers.
Ms. Derbyshire works closely with our M&A and international labour and benefits teams and has extensive experience in:
-advising employers on restructuring and reorganising their workforce;
-addressing the employment issues arising in the context of the acquisition or disposal of a business, including particular experience on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) and collective consultation requirements across Europe;
-employment advice related to cross-border transactions and coordination of international advisers;
-collective bargaining and industrial actions;
-the TUPE issues arising in outsourcing transactions;
-advising on employee retention, including drafting and negotiating senior executives’ service agreements;
-advising on, drafting and enforcing post-termination restrictions;
-managing executive dismissals, including the negotiation of severance terms and defending employment-related claims;
-discrimination law, including drafting and advising on effective equality, gender pay gap and flexible working policies and practices;
-data protection issues in relation to the personal data of U.K.-based employees; and
-training clients on employment issues, such as the application of TUPE, GDPR, discipline and grievances, and equality.
Professional Memberships
Ms. Derbyshire is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and is the chair of the Employment Law Committee of the City of London Law Society.
Chambers Review
UK
Head of the UK employment law offering at Skadden, Helena Derbyshire has notable experience advising well-known clients on the employment aspects of M&A transactions. She is also adept at advising employers on a wide range of employment matters including remuneration policy, restrictive covenant enforcement and TUPE.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"She acts like an extension to our team as she makes you feel like the interests of the firm are most critical to her as well."
"Helena is an assured pair of hands and takes a very caring and pragmatic approach."
"Helena is an excellent employment lawyer."
"She acts like an extension to our team as she makes you feel like the interests of the firm are most critical to her as well."
"Helena is an assured pair of hands and takes a very caring and pragmatic approach."
"Helena is an excellent employment lawyer."