Mark Williams

Mark is an extremely experienced Employment Barrister who has advised on and represented parties in over 1000 cases during the past 20 years. Mark is regularly instructed to appear for Claimants and Respondents in Tribunals across England and Wales. He specialises in all areas of employment law with particular experience in cases involving unfair and wrongful dismissal, whistle-blowing, restrictive covenants, harassment, victimisation and sex, race and disability discrimination.

Mark is frequently instructed to advise clients in contractual disputes and professional negligence cases.

Mark has also been instructed by an NHS national body to carry out an internal investigation into alleged bullying and harassment of staff.

Clients include Schools and Academies, NHS Trusts, Blue Chip nationally known companies including banks and High Street names, as well as small companies. He is also instructed by unions and individuals to represent Claimant’s interests.

Mark won the important disability discrimination case The Child Support Agency (Dudley) v Truman UKEAT/0293/08/CEA, overturning Clark v Novacold.

“Acts for claimants and respondents in a wide range of employment cases” – Legal 500 2020

Recent cases include:

• Acting in a large and complex case concerning a government department and an autistic employee requiring reasonable adjustments.
• Representing a national chain of cinemas against a claim of race discrimination.
• Representing a major high street bank against a senior manager’s claim for redundancy/unfair dismissal.
• Acting for one of the largest Academy providers in a case of alleged race, age and disability discrimination.
• Defending allegation of sexual harassment against a company director.
• Acting for a National Church in determining the employment status of a senior cathedral cleric.
• Successfully acting for a foreign/ship based British ex-pat in a case to determine whether the English Tribunals had jurisdiction.
• Representing a Local Authority against a claim of racial discrimination and whistle-blowing.
• Acting in a disability discrimination claim where damages were awarded in excess of £200,000.

Mark is regularly instructed to represent parents, children (Guardians) and local authorities in care cases across the Western Circuit and south Wales courts. He is known for his tact, kindness and understanding combined with well-judged and when necessary powerful cross-examination and advocacy skills.

Mark is able to assist clients in all Private Children and Public Children matters, from EPO’s and First Appointments through to Finding of Fact and Final Hearings.

“Mr Williams has represented this mother very well; he combined kindness to his client with an iron fist of strong and good submissions.”  In DFJ’s judgment in recently reported case.

A Local Authority v The Mother & Anor [2017] EWFC B59

Bristol’s Designated Family Judge HHJ Wildblood QC again commented upon the issue of obtaining early therapy in family cases. The learned judge highlighted something he raised when first appointed three years ago, saying, “how important it is that, if therapy is needed, it is obtained at an early stage”. http://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed180307

Recent cases include:

Successfully represented the parents of a male child who was raised as a girl in a case that received a lot of publicity.

Represented a mother in a multi-day Fact-Finding Hearing involving unexplained injuries to 6 month old baby.

Represented a mother in a multi-day Final Hearing of case involving the chronic neglect of 3 young children.

Represented a parent in case involving allegations of child cruelty and forced marriage.

Represented a mother who was lacking capacity in proceedings as a result of alleged cruelty and neglect.

Represented an intervener in a 4 day Hearing involving a young mother unable to look after children and adoption proceedings as a result of very challenging family dynamics.

Mark is able to assist professional and lay clients in all matters related to Matrimonial Finance. Mark is equally content to provide advice in conference or in written form as well as act for clients in all hearings from First Appointment through to Final Hearing.

Mark’s complimentary practice in the chancery commercial department has proved invaluable in many cases such as a recent matter involving foreign properties.

Mark has been a member of the chancery and commercial team since joining Queen Square Chambers in 2001. He has represented parties at County, High Court and Appellate level, in a variety of areas such as injunctions, boundary disputes, housing and possession claims, credit hire, nuisance, trespass and adverse possession and trust cases.

Mark has a particular interest and specialist knowledge in insurance and financial services related matters. As well as matters where there is a cross over with Employment or Family such as restrictive covenants or in TOLATA cases.

Mark also has considerable expertise in matters of Professional Negligence with experience of solicitor’s and surveyor negligence often in relation to property conveyancing  or in the handling of litigation in employment cases.