Olivia Coles

About Olivia

Described by The Legal 500 UK as “excellent“, Olivia regularly advises employers on complex HR issues. Some examples of Olivia’s recent work include:

• assisting an employer in dismissing a long-standing employee for gross misconduct, managing the employee’s sickness absence throughout the disciplinary process
• advising an employer on related grievance and disciplinary processes against a number of employees, involving potentially confidential whistleblowing disclosures
• successfully defending a tribunal claim for constructive unfair dismissal and direct sex discrimination following a client’s rejection of a flexible working request from a male employee
• successfully defending a tribunal claim for disability discrimination by a worker.

Olivia provides advice on a range of immigration issues for both businesses and individuals. She specialises in advising businesses on carrying out right to work checks, applying for a Tier 2 sponsor licence under the points based system and complying with their sponsor duties. Olivia advises individuals on completing Tier 2 visa, permanent residence and British citizenship applications. She also runs immigration audits to check employers’ compliance with their sponsor duties.

Olivia works closely with our Corporate & Commercial team to provide TUPE advice on the sale or purchase of a business, including advice on the TUPE complexities of purchasing a business from administration.

Olivia also regularly negotiates exit packages for employees and directors and advises on settlement agreements.

Olivia is on the committee for the Chartered Institute of Professional Development (CIPD) in Bath and West Wiltshire and regularly attends its workshops and seminars.