Caroline Neadley

Caroline Neadley is a partner in the employment law team based at both our Grimsby and Beverley offices.

Known for her work in both public and private sectors, her role sees her advising employers across several diverse industries including education, food, manufacturing, and charitable sectors. 

Caroline has experience in all aspects of employment law. She regularly advises on matters related to discrimination, whistleblowing, redundancies, and executive terminations. She also handles complex grievance and disciplinary matters.

She is recognised as a ‘leading individual’ by the Legal 500, while Chambers & Partners highlighted her as a ‘notable practitioner’ and ranked her as a band three in employment law.

Key specialisms

Employment tribunal claims

Caroline regularly represents employers to mitigate the risk of claims and to defend claims centred around unfair dismissal, disability discrimination, employment status, and whistleblowing.

In a career highlight, she successfully represented an employee in a complex whistleblowing claim following a six-day hearing, securing a high-value settlement and costs award in favour of her client.

Terminating senior executives

She often guides employers and directors, providing pragmatic and commercially focused advice on dealing with terminating senior executives in a timely and professional manner. Corresponding areas for advice include gardening leave and restrictive covenants in employment contracts.

Where necessary, she works closely with the commercial dispute resolution team to strategically advise companies on pursuing action against competitors and individuals who do not comply with such terms.

Equality, diversity, and discrimination

Caroline advises employers on complex issues arising in relation to all aspects of discrimination legislation. From providing initial recommendations on policies and procedures to assisting employers in defending a claim, she has extensive knowledge and experience in equality, diversity, and discrimination matters.

She is passionate about wellbeing and positive workplace cultures and regularly writes bespoke training for clients.  Caroline is a qualified Menopause Advocate, Bereavement Advocate, and Wellbeing Champion. Her skills are often utilised in the training that is delivered to clients and their HR teams.

Disciplinaries and grievances

Appreciated for being an extension to her client’s HR function, Caroline provides a sounding board for complex disciplinary and grievance issues. She works closely with organisations to establish good practices and procedures from the outset and assists in defending claims when things go wrong.

Voluntary work and memberships

Caroline is currently Chair of Women in Business Hull, a not-for-profit organisation which has been established over 25 years to support, encourage, and inspire women in their careers in Hull, East Yorkshire, and North Lincolnshire.

Further, she has provided a range of support to the education sector, including being a governor of an academy trust. Caroline also delivers seminars to students embarking on their academic journey.