Roger James

• Advising on numerous global RIF/redundancy projects – providing a single point of contact and liaising with local counsel in applicable countries to ensure a consistent, practical, cost effective and joined-up approach
• Misclassification of contractor issues across Europe and Asia
• Advising on entry to new countries including preparation of “country reports” on local employment law, employment contract and associated documentation and checklist of engagement and termination considerations
• Defending a company from a multimillion pound claim brought by a union in the UK
• Advising on the creation of staff consultation bodies
• Advising on employment status issues and successfully defending a high profile 5 day trial brought by freelance journalists against a media company claiming employment status
• Advising on restrictive covenant issues – in particular on an international basis involving cross country moves
• International secondments and associated documentation and considerations
• A manufacturing company on the closure of its final salary pension scheme. The project involved negotiations with the relevant union and was successfully completed on time and with all 150 employees accepting the change
• Various outsourcing contracts and ensuring employment transfer/employment risks are managed and minimised
• Numerous clients on whistleblowing, poor performance, misconduct, ill health and other employee specific issues
• Roger is also in demand as a speaker / trainer for clients, including being asked by a global technology company to prepare and present Finnish and Swedish versions of the Line Manager Training “Managing within the Law” he had done for them in the UK

Education

• University of Wolverhampton Law School, 1993
• University of Wales, 1991

Admission to Practice

• England and Wales

• Employment Lawyers Association
• International Bar Association
• The Law Society of England & Wales

• Workplace Strategies Seminar – “After the Champagne Has Gone Flat: Harmonizing Workforces After an Acquisition” – San Diego – May 12, 2023
• International Bar Association AGM 2022, Discrimination and Employment Section panel – “Whistleblowing and retaliation claims in multinational companies” – Miami – November 2022
• International Employment Law Conference – “Access to Justice During COVID-19: Challenges and Solutions for Online Proceedings” – Kuala Lumpur – December 2021
• Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies Seminar – “Headline News – Key Developments Impacting Employers” – Las Vegas – May 2, 2019
• Ogletree Deakins International Practice Group Seminar – “Employee Data Privacy Worldwide: GDPR and Beyond” – Washington, D.C. – March 29, 2018
• Ogletree Deakins International Practice Group Seminar – “Legal Update: Brexit” – Washington – March 29, 2018
• Ogletree Deakins International Practice Group Seminar – “You Can’t Take it with You: Departing Employees and Trade Secrets” – Washington – March 29, 2018
• Association of Corporate Counsel Charlotte Chapter – “Cross-border Transactions by U.S. Businesses: Identifying and Discussing Key Employment Considerations and Challenges” – Charlotte – September 26, 2017
• International Bar Association AGM 2016, Discrimination and Employment Section panel – “Reform of the EU Posted Workers Directive” – Washington – September 2016
• CIPD Asia Seminar – “Uber? Grab? What’s driving employment law in Asia Pacific in 2016” – Singapore – April 2016
• Deloitte Global Employment Services annual client Asia Pacific Seminar – “Executive Mobility and Employment Law: Covering all Bases” – Hong Kong – January 26, 2016
• The Cambridge Network – “Policies of the New Government” – Cambridge – April 2015
• Moscow State Institute of International Relations – “Reform of the UK Legal Market” – Moscow – September 2014

• June 28, 2023 – International Employment Lawyer – “Motherhood penalty blocks women’s pay and promotions”
• May 20, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “Netherlands: New Employment Laws in the Netherlands: Reforms to Reflect the Gig Economy and Parental Leave Rights”
• May 20, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “New Zealand: Recent Case Law Relevant to Employers in New Zealand”
• May 20, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “Norway: New Legislation Prohibits “Zero-Hour” Contracts”
• May 20, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “Poland: Introduction of a New Type of Occupational Pension Scheme”
• May 17, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “Lithuania: Gross Salaries Increased by Factor of 1.289 Due to Tax Changes”
• May 17, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “Luxembourg: Boost to Employee Sickness Rights”
• May 17, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “Luxembourg: Further Provisions of New Pension Laws Go Into Effect”
• May 17, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “Montenegro: Court Rules Resignation via Email Is Invalid”
• May 17, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “Montenegro: New Labor Law Expected in 2019 Aimed at Adopting EU Regulations”
• May 17, 2019 – Ogletree Deakins International Employment Update – “Myanmar: New Leave and Holidays Rules 2018”

• Legal 500
• Chambers UK