T: 020 7842 1496 (DDI)
T: 020 7583 2222
E: gemma.ospedale@roydswithyking.com
Gemma is a partner and a specialist employment lawyer dealing with all contentious and non-contentious areas of employment law.
She is recommended by the Legal 500 UK, the clients’ guide to the best UK law firms. Clients describe Gemma as “unfailingly energetic and charming” (Legal 500 2015).
Gemma worked in the horse racing industry before entering the legal profession. She studied for a law degree with the University of London, while continuing to work part-time. Gemma has been a partner at Royds and now Royds Royds Withy King since 2003.
Gemma has specialised in employment law since qualifying as a solicitor. Her particular areas of expertise include:
Gemma’s clients range from retail outlets and charities to senior level employees.
She also acts, with partner Richard Woodman, on behalf of the Mauritian government handling cases on appeal from the Mauritian Supreme Court to the Privy Council, which is interesting and varied work involving both civil and criminal appeals.
Gemma regularly speaks at seminars and workshops on changes in employment law affecting both small and large employers.
In her spare time, Gemma enjoys racing, hill/fell walking and travelling.
Gemma is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.
Related articles
The former boss of Britain’s best-known HIV charity was unfairly dismissed because she had blown the whistle about the alleged misbehaviour of a trustee, an Employment Tribunal has concluded.
Read more..
In R (on the Application of Hottak and Another) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Another, the Court of Appeal has confirmed that employees who work abroad and wished to bring claims under the Equality Act in the UK must satisfy the same territorial jurisdiction test as that established in the House of Lords (as it then was) in Lawson v Serco Limited in relation to unfair dismissal claims under the Employment Rights Act. In doing so, the Court dismissed an appeal against the Divisional Court’s decision that Afghan nationals who were employed by the British Government to work as interpreters for British military forces in Afghanistan could not bring Equality Act claims.
Read more..
In Risby v London Borough of Waltham Forest, the EAT has held that there only needs to be a loose causal link between an employee’s conduct and their disability, for a disability discrimination claim arising from disability to be made out.
Read more..
Fears remain about the possible consequences of the National Living Wage for charities.
Read more..
Charities are being reminded that new National Living Wage laws are set to take effect from April 1st. The changes to the statutory wage floor were announced by the Chancellor, George Osborne, in his Budget Speech last summer.
Read more..
A charity which was recently “named and shamed” after it was found to have broken minimum wage laws has said it had fallen foul of a technicality. The Tyne and Wear Riding for the Disabled Association was among the organisations …
Read more..
Charities have defended their use of zero-hours contacts, following renewed scrutiny of flexible working arrangements. An increasing number of third sector organisations admit to employing staff on a zero-hours basis, but most say that they make up a small minority …
Read more..
City-based law firm Royds is reminding businesses to update their employment policies and staff handbooks to ensure they meet the changes to parental leave that came into force at the end of last year.
Read more..