Tom is head of employment at DTM Legal. He advises commercial clients and senior executives on bringing and defending employment tribunal claims, including assessment of merits, tactical decision making, negotiation of settlement and employment tribunal representation.
Click here for Tom's profile on the DTM website.
- Can you tell us a bit about your background, and your role at DTM?
I grew up on the Wirral and stayed local studying business at Liverpool University then converting to law via the GDL and LPC at Chester Law College. I trained at DWF in Liverpool and moved to DTM 2 years post qualification. I have been at DTM now for 6 years and have been Head of the Employment & HR Team at DTM since January 2019. I advise clients in various different industries on all areas of employment law both contentious and non-contentious. The former becoming the larger part of my workload in recent years with the removal of Tribunal fees for claimants to pursue claims against employers.
- If you hadn’t been a lawyer, what would you have done?
Anything connected with golf, I think golf journalism would have suited me. I am still clinging on to the hope that I wake up one day far, far better at golf than I am currently so I can have twilight professional golf career.
- How’s business at the moment?
As an Employment & HR team we have and continue to be very busy supporting clients with Covid-19 issues, in particular the Government’s Job Retention Scheme which is clearly brand new for employers and advisers alike, and has been evolving week on week with updated Government Guidance. We are starting to see queries on ending furlough and moving employees back to work and unfortunately in some cases short time working/ lay off and restructures/ redundancies, particularly in sectors hit hard by Covid-19 such as service industry clients. We have just recruited Elizabeth Judson as a Senior Solicitor who will bring a lot of experience and expertise to our team.
- How have you found lockdown?
Working from home whilst building dens and chasing around my 2 year old has been interesting at times however have been lucky enough to be able to rotate work and childcare with my wife and lock myself away in my office to get things done. I think one positive of lockdown is that many types of businesses will have managed to operate perfectly well with some/ all staff working from home and realised that it work and in many cases makes life easier for employees and frees up more time.
- How have you kept in touch with colleagues & clients?
We have set up WhatsApp groups across the business and continued to have month end drinks via Teams video calls. It has been business as usual with clients but just via phone, email and Teams video calls.
- What are the 3 things you miss most from your pre lockdown life?
Golf (until recently when the Government relaxed the rules), seeing family and takeaways!
- What do you think the biggest change will be working life post lockdown?
I strongly believe that for many types of businesses there will be a significant change to the way we work post lockdown with a move to more flexible working whether that be more homeworking or flexible hours of work to suit individuals personal lives etc. I think for some businesses this has been an eye opener as to how achievable and beneficial flexible working can be to their organisation.
- What’s the first thing you’ll do when lockdown is lifted?
My wife is pregnant and craving a McDonald’s, so I may be forced to support her with this.
- What restaurant you will visit?
See above!
