A co-founder of DRD Partnership, Claire has worked across a wide spectrum of sectors, delivering strategic communications programmes in over 100 countries, across Europe, North America, Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East. At board and trustee level, she advises clients on value protection, risk mitigation, issues management, crisis management and litigation communications. Cases supported include applications to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, The Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal in the Hague. She also provides guidance on historic and current safeguarding issues as well as DE&I. A trained mediator, Claire works with advocacy groups in the EU, the US and in other international markets.

Chris Milsom operates at the cutting-edge of employment and equality law. He wins consistent praise from solicitors and clients alike for his specialist expertise and his user-friendly style. His practice encompasses the full gamut of employment disputes including discrimination in respect of all protected characteristics, equal pay, whistle-blowing, TUPE, PHA claims, redundancy, collective consultation claims, partnership disputes and high court litigation. He frequently appears against silks and has led a number of barristers at Cloisters.

Chris has appeared at every appellate level including the Supreme Court and acted in over 30 substantive appeals in the EAT. With 33 entries, Chris is a top 50 advocate for all-time appearances in the IRLR since its first publication over forty years ago.

Many of his cases have been debated in Parliament and frequently generate both national and international media coverage. They have led to the recognition of ethical veganism as a protected belief, the first successful civil claim of caste discrimination in Europe and the first known "Windrush" employment case.

Recently Chris has been at the forefront of developments in sexual harassment litigation. In that capacity he was commissioned to undertake an extensive review of the law for the EHRC which has led to significant reform, advised and represented former employees of Harvey Weinstein, Oxfam, magic circle law firms and the armed forces, and acted successfully in a ground-breaking appeal on the approach to privacy applications where allegations of sexual assault are made against high-profile individuals.

Chris is also at the cutting-edge of whistleblowing litigation and has particular experience of complaints in health and social care, education and financial services. He has acted in some of the landmark decisions in the field including Gilham v MoJ (the employment status of district judges and Article 14); Bamieh v EULEX and ors (the right to sue co-workers based overseas), Kilraine v London Borough of Wandsworth (the definition of "disclosure of information") and Timis v Osipov (the extent of individual liability for dismissal-related detriments).

Chris undertakes work for both claimants and respondents. Professional clients vary from hedge funds to the Church of England and include charities, FTSE 250 companies, the BBC, universities, NHS Trusts and public authorities. When acting for claimants he is instructed by the EHRC, trade unions, law centres and lay individuals ranging from traders, directors and partners to victims of human trafficking. He has particular expertise in claims arising from the healthcare, education and legal sectors. He has been appointed to the EHRC and the Government Legal Department Panels of Counsel.

In providing a consistently high standard of service Chris enjoys regular and repeat instructions from solicitors of the highest calibre. His oral and written submissions have recently been described by the CA and EAT variously as “excellent,” "powerful," "eloquent," "scholarly" and a "tour de force." In addition to his advisory work and litigation Chris is adept at conducting internal investigations where he is regarded as balancing scrutiny with fairness.

Chris also enjoys a burgeoning practice outside the employment arena including public law and JR, discrimination in education, goods and services, defamation and libel proceedings and commercial litigation. He maintains an active practice in personal injury including a considerable number of fatal accident and clinical negligence claims. He puts his knowledge of the cross-over between employment and personal injury matters to use in the sensitive area of stress at work claims.

Chris has a long-standing commitment to human rights issues and pro bono work: in this capacity he has collaborated with organisations including the Equal Rights Trust, Global Witness, Amicus, Public Concern at Work, ELAAS, the Bar Pro Bono Unit, and the Anti-Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit. He was shortlisted for both the 2014 and 2015 Bar Pro Bono Unit Award by PCAW and ATLEU. Prior to commencing pupillage, Chris worked as a contractual specialist in the legal department of an investment bank and completed an internship at the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Ghana.