Ed Beever

Ed is a specialist employment practitioner with substantial commercial litigation experience.

The legal press has described him as “among the top juniors in his field” for thorough preparation and outstanding court performances, Ed is a “highly approachable barrister whose academic talents are matched by his ability to manage and communicate effectively with clients”.

Ed deals with the range of employment disputes in tribunal, including high value and complex litigation. His High Court experience extends to claims for senior executives and involving directors’ duties. He frequently is engaged to advise and represent in injunctive relief in employment disputes.

A member of the Attorney General Panel of Counsel, Ed’s clients include numerous central government departments and external agencies. His private clients include national companies, plcs as well as numerous SMEs.

His employment experience in 2012 includes:

• Junior Counsel in a complex breach of fiduciary claim in the insurance industry sector, including dishonest assistance, knowing receipt
• Financial derivatives, in the context of directors’ negligence and constructive dismissal employment tribunal proceedings
• Appeals to the EAT: Discrimination (relevance of inadequate explanations) and age discrimination (strike out/costs)
• Freezing Injunctions and commercial pre-emptive remedies
• Substantial TUPE and insolvency issues

Ed gives seminars extensively with particular emphasis on commercial/employment issues, such as restraint of trade; TUPE and insolvency; fiduciary duties; performance management. He is an accredited advocacy trainer.

Qualifications:

• Merton College, Oxford, BA (Hons), Jurisprudence

Appointments:

• Member of Attorney General Panel of Counsel (re-appted 2007; 2012)

What the Directories Say:

Ed is listed in the 2013 Chambers guide in Commercial Dispute Resolution and Employment as well as in the Legal 500. He appears every year, in which most recently Ed has been described as:

2013: Commercial Dispute Resolution
... is seen as a “go-to-guy” by numerous solicitors working in commercial litigation. He is recognised widely as a highly approachable barrister whose academic talents are matched by his ability to manage and communicate effectively with clients.

2013: Employment
The “utterly charming” Edmund Beever is a highly respected figure at the Employment Bar. One particularly impressed source was keen to highlight his ability as a cross-examiner, saying, “you would be hard pressed to find anyone who is as skilled” in this regard. Ed Beever is a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel.

2012: Commercial Dispute Resolution
... brings an “analytical mind and a great work ethic” to his cases. He has impressed numerous people in the region, not least because he is considered to be “a really good guy to work with.” Interviewees praise his work on contractual and employment claims.

2012: Employment
Edmund Beever heads the group and is noted for his skill in matters regarding restrictive covenants and injunctive relief proceedings. His “thorough preparation and outstanding court performances” place him among the top juniors in the field.

2011: Employment
... valued for giving “unambiguous, realistic advice” and “doing it with good humour.” His commercial and employment expertise has come to the fore in recent cases where he has been involved in some high-value directors' breach of duty and information claims.

2012: Commercial Dispute Resolution
... Clients say that he “has a good rapport, communicates clearly and is an effective cross-examiner.”

He has also been involved in restrictive covenant matters acting for respondents.

Reported Cases:

Templeton Insurance v Brunswick and others [2012] EWHC 3319: - fiduciary duty - directors’ liabilities – breach of trust – knowing receipt – bankruptcy- fraud - costs

Millwood v Birmingham City Council [2012] EqLR – Discrimination – burden of proof – effect of inadequate explanations

Re Infinity Lifestyles Ltd: [2009] BPIR 290: s.8 of CDDA - Directors of a Company engaged in money circulation schemes

A F Blakemore & Son Ltd (2) Trustees of the A F Blakemore & Son Ltd Staff Retirement Scheme v (1) N D Machin (2) J H [2007] EWHC 963 (Ch): Compromise Agreements; Findings of Fact; Oral contracts; pension benefits; pensions ombudsman; effect of compromise with employer on former employees' right to complain about pension administration

Wightman v Bennett [2005] BPIR 470: Directors' duties: High Value property development - misfeasance

SSTI v Blunt [2005] 2 BCLC 463: directors' disqualification. Misappropriation and dishonesty

Jaddoo v Birmingham City Council [2004] AER (D) 410: unfair dismissal, disability and race discrimination claim - covert surveillance - long term losses. The liability and remedies hearings lasted 16 days. President of EAT, Burton J - quantification of loss, career long losses and the use of the Ogden Tables in employment cases

Wright v Bilton School [2002] ICR 1463: disability discrimination - the extent of the employer's knowledge of disability - duty to make reasonable adjustments

Recent Experience:

Templeton Insurance v Brunswick and others [2012] EWHC 3319: - fiduciary duty - directors' liabilities – breach of trust – knowing receipt – bankruptcy - fraud. Ed acted as Junior Counsel in a complex breach of fiduciary claim in the insurance industry sector, including dishonest assistance, knowing receipt

Greenfield v Allpay Ltd, 2012: Financial derivatives, in the context of directors' negligence and constructive dismissal employment tribunal proceedings

Sarwar v BCC, 2012: discrimination - whistle-blowing - interim relief

Pizzey v Maximvs Ltd, 2012: emergency injunction - media industry - human rights/freedom of expression

Tomlinson v Queensbridge and others, 2012: a series of hearing, dealing with age discrimination, strike out, costs

Chapman v HMPS,2012: equal pay in the Prison Service

Millwood v Birmingham City Council [2012] EqLR: EAT: discrimination and burden of proof - effect of inadequate explanations

Dowty v AHVLA, 2012: substantial disability and sex discrimination claim leading to VR and a claim of constructive dismissal

Conveyor Units Ltd, 2012: TUPE claims in the context of manufacturing industry

Unimerco v Kyocera, 2012: High Court confidentiality injunction proceedings in the aerospace sector

Grange Fencing, 2012: directors' duties, breach of trust. High Court freezing order and contempt proceedings

Signature Ltd v Alexander, 2012: High Court restraint of trade in the transport sector

Professional Associations:

• Employment Lawyers Association

Interests:

Work permitting, Ed enjoys a healthy work life balance! A lifelong mad runner, Ed took up triathlons recently. Despite all that distraction, there is still time for his other great interests of skiing and undertaking house renovation projects.