GQ|Littler appoints new partner - Philip Cameron

GQ|Littler appoints new partner - Philip Cameron


As part of its ongoing ambitious growth strategy GQ|Littler, the specialist employment law firm, has announced the appointment of Philip Cameron as partner with effect from January 2019. He joins the firm from Debevoise & Plimpton, where he worked in an in-house capacity. 

The appointment reflects GQ|Littler’s continued rapid expansion. In May 2017 it became part of Littler, the world’s largest specialist employment law firm and its UK turnover has doubled over the past two years while there has been a 50% growth in size of the firm’s partnership in the last year.

Prior to his role at Debevoise & Plimpton, Philip held senior roles at RPC and CMS Cameron McKenna. With experience across the full spectrum of employment law, he has particular experience in employment litigation, including claims relating to industrial relations issues. This supports GQ|Littler’s strong litigation offering: it is one of the few employment law teams to offer extensive litigation expertise in both the High Court and Employment Tribunals.

Philip’s recent in-house experience at Debevoise & Plimpton (in addition to previous secondments at Goldman Sachs and Royal Mail) will also be welcomed by GQ|Littler’s client base which appreciates the commercial understanding of the firm’s lawyers that is developed from working in-house. 

GQ|Littler Managing Partner Jon Gilligan comments: “We are really delighted to welcome Philip to the partnership team. Since we have become part of Littler we have seen rapid growth in demand for our expertise and Philip will help us deliver our ambitious expansion strategy.”

Senior Partner Paul Quain adds: “Top-flight litigation expertise has always distinguished GQ|Littler – very few employment teams are able to match our High Court litigation capability, in particular. Philip’s background makes him an ideal fit in that respect, and his experience of trades union related work is also extremely valuable, as we are seeing an expansion in instructions in this area.”

Philip Cameron says: “I’m very much looking forward to becoming part of the GQ|Littler team: I have admired the firm’s rapid rise over the last few years and I look forward to contributing to that future growth.”

Philip Cameron’s contentious legal experience includes a wide range of complex or high-value cases, including:

  • Advising a leading investment bank on the employment issues arising out of its takeover of another leading investment bank.
  • Acting for a well-known transport body on two joined claims (sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and unfair dismissal, victimisation and whistleblowing) where he acted for nine of the eleven respondents.
  • Representing Royal Mail against the Communications Workers Union in the leading case on information and consultation obligations under TUPE.
  • Acting for a large construction company against hundreds of claimants in well-publicised blacklisting claims.
  • Advising the embassy of a foreign government in relation to various employment tribunal claims that ultimately went to the Supreme Court on the issue of diplomatic immunity.

Philip also has experience of employment tribunal claims for unfair dismissal, breach of contract, all forms of discrimination (including pensions issues in age discrimination claims), less favourable treatment for being a part-time worker and for trade union activities, equal pay, whistleblowing, and failures to inform and consult under TUPE and TULRCA.

His non-contentious experience covers a wide range of employment matters, again including expertise on trade union matters, as well as the provision of advice on the application and operation of TUPE, including information and consultation requirements, particularly in relation to outsourcings.