Pictured above: Simon Bond

Simon Bond, Partner and head of the Employment team at Midlands law firm Challinors, has been appointed to the Employment Law Committee of England and Wales.

The Employment Law Committee is composed of senior employment lawyers considered to be able to make a sustained contribution to the work of the Law Society and to comment upon and identify emerging issues in employment law. It is tasked with keeping under review and promoting improvements in employment law and practice, as well as supporting members of the profession who undertake work in employment law and promote the role of solicitors practising in this field.

Simon comments: "Much of the committees' work is taken-up in commenting upon government consultations on proposed legislation such as the Agency Workers Regulations and the Equality Bill, both of which will be important issues over the coming months and years. Furthermore, there is the prospect of a general election which may well recast the government's approach to employment law issues, so my three-year appointment to the Employment Law Committee comes at an interesting and potentially challenging time for the profession."

Simon specialises exclusively in Employment Law and advises employers and employees on all aspects of employment and HR issues including redundancy, dismissal and disciplinary matters, discrimination, drafting service agreements and Compromise Agreements and pensions matters. He has substantial experience in employment litigation having appeared in Employment Tribunals throughout the UK and before the Employment Appeal Tribunal. Alongside his new role on the Employment Law Committee, Simon is a trustee director of Sandwell Citizens Advice Bureaux and Policy Advisor to the Black Country branch of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development.

Challinors has offices in Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton, Halesowen and Nottingham. The firm has 24 partners and over 100 fee earners, and is ranked as one of the top legal firms in the West Midlands, being Number 1 in the Chambers UK Directory in a number of categories, including Clinical Negligence.