Search this site

International International Brexit United States Ireland Brexit Brexit is the most important legal, economic and constitutional development in the UK since 1945. At Constantine Law, we are experts in international work and provide leading employment and business immigration services. We are well-placed to act as a guide to your business, through the Brexit journey. As a firm, we are passionate advocates of the recruitment of global talent and experts in supporting industry-specific solutions to Brexit: We Must Fight Back Against Plans to Curb 'Unskilled' Workers , John Hayes, Construction News. We are on hand to provide responsive solutions to the challenges and opportunities that Brexit will present for our clients. Caroline Glacken has years of experience in assisting employers with recruitment from around the world. A full list of these services can be found on our Business Immigration page. Caroline is also a member of ILPA and participated in the recent UK Government call for evidence on EEA AND Non EEA Migrant workers . We write regularly about Brexit and host important seminars on the subject. You can read some of our many articles here . JOHN HAYES, CONSTANTINE LAW “The construction industry deserves an immigration policy that is low-cost, low in administration and high-speed, so as to bring in the required construction workers.” LEARN MORE

Alex Harvey Alex Harvey joined Constantine Law in November 2022 and is a Solicitor in our Employment team. Prior to joining Constantine Law, she trained as a Solicitor at a West End firm, where she qualified in 2021. Alex advises both employers and senior executives on contentious and non-contentious matters. She is very experienced in acting for Claimants and Respondents in Employment Tribunal claims, especially in relation to claims for discrimination under the Equality Act as well as for unfair dismissal. She also advises on High Court litigation. Alex is recognised in the Legal 500, and finds it rewarding to support her clients by transforming their challenging circumstances into positive outcomes. 'Alex Harvey is another standout. She combines technical excellence with a collaborative, pragmatic approach that makes complex matters feel manageable. She listens intently and brings a structured yet flexible mindset to each engagement, making clients feel both heard and empowered' - Legal 500 2026 Position Associate Contact +44 (0)7501 456 059 alex.harvey@constantinelaw.co.uk Alex specialises in acting for both employers and senior executives in the financial services, recruitment, tech and advertising sectors. She regularly advises on both contentious and non-contentious matters, including providing strategic advisory support to HR, advising on redundancies, disciplinary proceedings and internal investigations, drafting and responding to grievances, and negotiating and advising on complex settlements. Alex is also very experienced in representing both employers and employees in Employment Tribunal proceedings involving unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and intersectional discrimination, as well being experienced in defending High Court proceedings. In her spare time Alex enjoys spending time with friends and family and relaxing in the French countryside. Career highlights include: Defending 'Without Notice' injunctive proceedings against a tech executive in the e-gaming and cryptocurrency industry, and acting for the client in a subsequent and complex High Court claim. Alex’s persistence and expertise helped ensure that the Claimant's claim was successfully struck out, that an order was made requiring the Claimant to pay our client's wasted costs, and that the interim injunction was discharged. Acting for a senior publishing executive facing suspension and serious allegations of misconduct, and successfully negotiating a significant package for our client, enabling her to move onto her next chapter. Advising a financial services employer client on conducting an internal investigation into serious allegations of sexual harassment, and successfully negotiating the exit of the accused employee. Representing a senior banking executive at an Employment Tribunal remedy hearing, following her successful claim for disability discrimination against a well-known bank. Drafting letters of claim and undertakings for an employer client in the recruitment sector in circumstances where two former employees had breached their restrictive covenants and ongoing obligations in confidentiality, and successfully negotiating signed undertakings. SENIOR PUBLISHING EXECUTIVE Alex is such an asset to Constantine Law. She manages to combine an incredibly friendly, supportive approach with a high level of intellect, and thorough understanding of the legal process which in turn results in you feeling like you are working with an excellent Solicitor. Alex managed to make me feel at ease during an emotional time, and was a real pillar of strength during our time working together. Previous Next

Advice for lawyers and law firms We are leading partnership lawyers providing high-level advice to law firms and partners (particularly in partner-exit situations). Most of us have either run law firms or run employment law departments and therefore “we get it.” We help law firms to grow and prosper and to mitigate risk. Examples of our work are below, and numerous testimonials are available on request. For law firms Constantine Law advises a host of law firms on their “own spend” employment law and regulatory work and this includes: Advice regarding partner exits: and challenging situations regarding employees Advice on partner hires: and facilitating exits from current/previous firm, including advice on post termination restrictions Non-contentious support: in terms of preparation of Compliance Manuals, contracts and handbooks Day-to day trouble-shooting advice: including disciplinaries / grievances / equality issues Regulatory advice: with regard to SRA and other obligations Business Immigration support: and advice around hiring strategies generally Lunch and learns: on best practice advice regarding restrictive covenants, partner hires and team-moves For partners in law firms All of our partners are experienced practitioners in advising partners with exit-processes, negotiating settlement agreements and dealing with regulatory issues. We are happy to provide numerous testimonials. Our work includes: Advice as regards the exit process: including what to say to clients and staff Analysing, advising and responding to regulatory matters Advice regarding the practical effect of any applicable restrictive covenants and team-move scenarios Best practice advice on optimising payments on exit including advice in relation to tax retention and equity payments Negotiations regarding A Settlement Deed/Retirement Deed We can provide a number of anonymised testimonials from our very many happy partner clients. Please contact John Hayes if you would like to know more.

Diversity Every two years, law firms regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) are required to collect, report, and publish data on the diversity of their workforce. This data feeds into the SRAs law firm diversity tool, providing valuable insights into diversity across the solicitors’ profession. It also supports the SRA’s regulatory, research, and engagement activities. At Constantine Law, we view the publication of our diversity data as a key part of our commitment to transparency and evidence-based practice. We understand that actively monitoring and responding to this data is essential to advancing our goals in diversity, equality, and inclusion. Constantine Law Firm Diversity Data questionnaire 2025 (Responses)

Clear Constantine Law employment Annual Retainer: clarity in outcome, certainty in cost Our employer clients have complete piece of mind with our annual retainer packages, for a fixed quarterly cost for all your employment law requirements. Our subscription service ensures you have no barriers to seeking advice when you most need it. You will be allocated one of our experienced and qualified solicitors who will provide practical and commercial advice tailored to your issue. We will act as Trusted Advisers who will really get to know your business so that we can act as part of your internal team to support your company-interests and help you grow. We work with insurers to secure the optimum insurance package for you. We differ from other service providers in this area in two important respects: We don’t self-insure: therefore we’ll tell you what you can do, not what you can’t Our service is staffed by experienced lawyers: so clients will get to the solution quicker We have 3x graded Clear packages: Clear Bronze Sample contract review Handbook review Day to day employment law advice by phone by an experienced solicitor Partner Consultant as your main contact and principal adviser Added to our mailing list for free employment law updates Monthly billing Clear Silver All the benefits of Bronze plus: Bespoke letters, as and when needed Access 24/7 to our online resource material Includes template letters Template policies Annual face to face visit (or remote by agreement) from one of our team to review your needs and our offering Clear Gold All of the benefits of Bronze and Silver plus: Access to our HR and employment Training Academy Training courses are tailored to your needs Delivered in person or online, as agreed Interactive sessions, no long boring lectures Unlimited number of delegates from your organisation *Limitations apply to sector specific policies, procedures and regulations *Exclusions apply to +20 redundancies and TUPE, Tribunal claims Contact us for your free no obligation quote

Immigration Insights Is the UK softening its stance on immigration? By Rebecca Tester, immigration partner. The political debate over immigration in the UK is entering an interesting phase. Policy changes introduced by the previous government in early 2024, along with further changes under the current Labour government have significantly reduced net migration into the UK, which peaked at 944,000 in the year to March 2023, but had subsequently fallen to 171,000 by December 2025. We are expecting figures for 2026 to be even lower. Having alrea 3 days ago High Court dismisses section 4L challenge – Alex Finch writes for Free Movement This article was first published in Free Movement, 6 October 2026 R (on the application of Akinyemi) v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] EWHC 2388 (Admin) is the second reported decision on the operation of section 4L of the British Nationality Act 1981, brought into force in 2022. The claimant, who was born in the UK and has an extensive record of offending, challenged the refusal to register him as British on several grounds, but did not succeed on any of th Oct 14 Our next webinar - Right-to-work changes Join our next immigration webinar on Wednesday 14 October to hear about important changes to the employment and immigration landscape Significant changes to the right-to-work regime came into effect on 1 October. Join our next webinar, on Weds 14 October where our immigration partners Alex Finch and Rebecca Tester will discuss these changes, and their impact: The webinar will cover: ➡️ An overview of the recent changes to the right-to-work regime ➡️ Expansion of the right-to- Oct 8 Constantine Law launches innovative free tool to tackle Skilled Worker salary ‘minefield’ New technology aims to help employers and HR teams navigate increasingly complex Skilled Worker salary requirement rules PRESS RELEASE: London, 6th October 2026 – Employers struggling to work out how much they need to pay sponsored workers can now use a new free online tool from specialist employment and immigration law firm Constantine Law. The Skilled Worker Salary Assessment Tool has been designed to tackle one of the increasingly complicated parts of the UK sponsorship Oct 6 Right to work changes - are you ready? A version of this article first appeared in Personnel Today on 25 September 2026. The UK government is significantly expanding the Right to Work regime from 1 October 2026 and employers are advised to review their arrangements now to ensure compliance with the new rules. The most significant change is the extension of Right to Work checks beyond traditional employees. The new regime will apply to a broader range of working arrangements. This is an important development for bu Sep 28 Sponsor licence compliance: Why UK employers need to pay closer attention than ever For many UK businesses, recruiting international talent has become a vital part of growth. But sponsoring overseas workers also comes with significant legal responsibilities, and those responsibilities are coming under far greater scrutiny than ever before. The Home Office has always maintained that holding a sponsor licence is a privilege rather than a right. What has changed is the level of enforcement. Employers are seeing more compliance activity, more requests for eviden Jul 21 Will Andy Burnham Relax UK Immigration Policy for Growth – or Keep Labour’s Tough Line? by Rebecca Tester With Andy Burnham expected to become the next Prime Minister later this month, it raises questions about the future direction of UK immigration policy. With the government facing pressure from business groups demanding labour market flexibility while simultaneously confronting the threat posed by Reform UK, immigration could become one of the defining tests of a Burnham premiership. Andy Burnham The key question is whether Burnham will soften some of Labour’s planned restrict Jul 6 Burnham's immigration challenges: Rebecca Tester comments to Solicitors Journal and Employer News A forthcoming Burnham administration will have to confront the tension between demonstrating migration control and businesses’ need for skilled workers to foster economic growth. The next government will also have to examine Labour's earned settlement proposals, which would extend the standard settlement period for migrants from 5 to 10 years and introduce a new framework assessing their economic and societal contributions. Commenting to Solicitors Journal and Employer News, Jul 3 1 2 3 4

Restrictive covenants: We make it our business to protect yours. We are one of the best restrictive covenants firms in the UK. Many of our lawyers are industry leaders in this area of the law and we can give you numerous testimonials of successful outcomes. We regularly achieve injunctions for clients in the High Court to protect their legitimate business interests. We are also retained by a number of employers to assist with their hiring-strategies (jointly advising the new-hire and corporate client). Advice for Employers Our advice extends to: Obtaining High Court injunctions for corporate clients: moving quickly and cost effectively to secure the best possible outcome for the client to protect your legitimate business interest. Working with the best barristers: to achieve the best possible outcomes for clients at sensible fee-rates. Best practice on hiring strategies: including speaking to the new hire and maximising return on investment as regards their restrictive covenants. Managing legal costs: including securing solutions short of litigation, including Undertakings. Drafting robust contracts: Working with key stakeholders to draft bespoke contracts and covenants to protect legitimate business interests “Lunch and learns” on restrictive covenant issues and development of a “Hiring and Exit Tool-kit with the client (quotes available on request). Advice for Employees: Some of our best clients started out this way... Our advice involves: Strategic advice on how to set up a new business Analysis of current restrictive covenants, their enforceability and practical effect What to say to fellow team members and clients Guidance in response to letters of claim from a previous employer Advice in relation to Undertakings and contractual guidance Full support in High Court proceedings including cost benefit analysis in terms of legal costs.

International International Brexit United States Ireland United States John Hayes has many years of experience in advising US owned businesses in the technology, financial services and industrial sectors. We advise US businesses on a range of issues such as the impact of GDPR in the US, and UK employment law principles such as unfair dismissal and TUPE . We provide very direct, responsive and commercial advice which is valued by US management teams. GLOBAL LAW EXPERTS - RECOMMENDED FIRM.

We provide direct, solutions-orientated advice to our clients. Please see a list of services below or contact any of our senior team members for further details. Expertise: For Employers The core of Constantine Law’s client work is the vital “middle market” of UK employers. We provide direct, solutions-orientated advice to our clients. Many are owner-managed, and we have acted for them for many years. Our rates are competitive because we have eliminated many of the fixed overheads of traditional firms. We are a modern law firm for modern times, and we have re-engineered how we work to align with the needs of our corporate clients. Please see a list of services below or contact any of our senior team members for further details. Our core services CLEAR: Constantine Law Employment Annual Retainer Contracts and Handbooks Business Immigration Discipline, Grievances & Investigations Diversity & Equality Employment Litigation Equal Pay Executive Negotiations & Settlement Agreements GDPR IR35 In-house & Special Projects Outsourcing, Transactions & TUPE Recruitment Businesses Restructuring & Redundancies Training Whistleblowing Restrictive Covenants Business Immigration

Employment Litigation Even the most well-run businesses face litigation in the Employment Tribunal or Civil Courts; litigation which can be very costly and a huge drain on management time. Having expert representation will greatly improve the outcome you achieve, whether it is forcing the other side to withdraw or settle their claim or obtaining a judgment in your favour. Main contact Caroline Glacken Number +44 (0) 20 3696 8230 We can help through: Expert advice on litigation strategies and tactics. Representation on all types of employment-related disputes in the Employment Tribunal or Civil Courts including: unfair dismissal; wrongful dismissal; breach of contract; discrimination; and whistleblowing. Experienced tribunal advocacy from one of our team. Highly effective representation at mediation. Case study Defending an outsourcing company against a claim for large bonus payments brought by two senior employees. Filing counter-claims and securing a very successful outcome at mediation. Successfully defending a regulated business against equal pay litigation brought by a senior female actuary. The employee’s claim was defeated in the Employment Tribunal and her appeals to the Employment Appeal Tribunal and Court of Appeal were also unsuccessful. Successfully defending four consultant doctors accused of racially discriminating against a colleague. The claim was defeated at the Employment Tribunal and the decision was supported by the Court of Appeal following an appeal by the Claimant.

Ben Payne Ben qualified as a Solicitor in 2017, joining an employment law practice in the city of London. He joined Constantine Law in January 2021. and was promoted to the position of Senior Associate in February 2025. In November 2025, he was recognised as one of the firm’s key lawyers in the Legal 500 . “Extremely knowledgeable, responsive and no-nonsense” — Non-executive director of national housebuilder Position Senior Associate Contact + 44 (0)7715 654 221 ben.payne@constantinelaw.co.uk Ben qualified as a Solicitor in 2017, joining an employment law practice in the city of London. He joined Constantine Law in January 2021 and was promoted to the position of Senior Associate in February 2025. In November 2025, he was recognised as one of the firm’s key lawyers in the Legal 500. Ben advises businesses and senior executives on employment law and has experience handling disputes in the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal, and High Court. Ben maintains strong client relationships and is known for high-quality drafting. He is highly responsive to client needs and consistently delivers exceptional work, even when required to produce results within tight deadlines. Career highlights include: Working alongside John Hayes on a significant Employment Tribunal whistleblowing claim concerning a former CEO and a prominent London development. Representing a luxury hotel in a tribunal claim concerning allegations of discrimination based on gender identity Part of a team that successfully defended a former CEO within the Employment Tribunal against Whistleblowing and Race Discrimination claims. Successfully represented a recruitment business on seeking injunctive relief in the High Court following the misuse of confidential information by a former senior employee. Assisted in successfully advising an individual in defending an application for injunctive relief concerning restrictive covenants in the High Court. Assisted in advising a law firm on exiting an equity partner. Advising employers on complex disciplinary and grievances process. Advising senior executives on negotiating and entering into settlement agreements. SENIOR EXECUTIVE, FINANCIAL SERVICES I’ve had a really pleasant experience working with Constantine Law with regards to an employment agreement. My solicitor, Ben Payne, walked me through the process in detail and ensured everything progressed smoothly. I would highly recommend them! Previous Next

Alex Finch is a highly regarded immigration lawyer, known for his broad experience, technical skill and pragmatic advice. Alex Finch Alex is a highly regarded immigration lawyer, known for his broad experience, technical skill and pragmatic advice. “Very thorough and professional" CEO of recent client Position Partner Contact + 44 (0)7887 289467 alex.finch@constantinelaw.co.uk Alex has been admitted as a solicitor since 2010, focusing on UK immigration. He provides counsel on UK immigration law and compliance, advising global companies, SMEs, private clients and family offices. Alex has extensive knowledge in all aspects of UK business immigration, including work sponsorship, right to work checks and sponsor licence applications. He assists private clients, advising on all aspects of personal immigration in the UK, including the EU Settlement Scheme, family migration, investors, Global Talent endorsement applications, settlement and naturalisation. He also regularly deals with human rights claims, applications outside the rules and appeals. He is regularly instructed in relation to international surrogacy arrangements. Some of his recent case highlights include: Advising family office of high-profile investor and office CEO on sponsor licence compliance; Advising a high-net-worth client on immigration implications of breakdown of relationship; Acting as jointly instructed expert witness to comment on immigration implications of a criminal history; and Advising prominent private client on international surrogacy matter, including emergency documentation, entry to the UK and registration as a British citizen. Alex was ranked in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom™. He is ranked in the Chambers, Immigration: High Net Worth Individuals directory, with commentators describing him as “an authority, always a step ahead solving problems, considering all available options and single-mindedly focused on objectives.” Alex has written extensively on specialist immigration topics, including publications for the Financial Times, Personnel Today, The Engineer, The HR Director, Engineering UK and LexisNexis. Alex has co-authored a chapter on immigration issues for International Family Law Practice Sixth edition, edited by Professor Hodson OBE (LexisNexis, 2021). Passionate about immigration law reform, Alex has worked with MPs and third sector bodies in drafting and championing legislative amendments, including the successful campaign for British nationality for Chagossians, and an amendment to disapply the CSI requirements for European nationals applying for British citizenship post-Brexit. He is a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA). Alex has a particular interest in complex British nationality matters. He has a forensic knowledge of the British Nationality Acts, and is an expert in assessing whether a claim to British citizenship through UK Ancestry can be made. Some recent matters he has worked on successfully include: British citizenship through double descent (born in the USA before 1988 with a UK-born grandmother); British citizenship by triple descent (child under 18, born in South Africa to parent with UK-born grandparent); and British Overseas citizenship and confirmation of Rule 16 status (equivalent to ILR) for a client who had lost access to both for several decades. Before joining Constantine Law, Alex worked for almost a decade at a global immigration provider. Outside of work, Alex is married with a small daughter, and enjoys hiking, gardening and discussing philosophy. SENIOR CONSULTANT Exceptionally helpful, knowledgeable and accomodating. Previous Next