Name: Tarun Tawakley Firm: Lewis Silkin LLP Location: London University: Queen Mary, University of London Degree: Law Pronouns: He/him
Adapting to new technologies is on the cards for all commercial solicitors, but for employment lawyers the onset and implications of technology is even more important. “There are unique employment law considerations arising out of the metaverse that our clients are starting to grapple with, and it’s interesting to be at the forefront of the law in that regard.” As for his own team, he emphasises the importance of agility and listening to client demands: “The best professionals adapt the quickest and deliver the best service to their clients.” Human impact With the variety of work comes the human impact – meaning that no two cases are the same. “It’s important for employment lawyers to understand that behind every piece of advice you give, or every restructuring you advise on, are individuals whose real lives are impacted.” As such, Tarun cites emotional intelligence as a skill for lawyers to develop in this area. He highlights other necessary strengths including demonstrating a curious mind and using your experiences to identify solutions for clients. In his final words of wisdom, Tarun reflects on the significance of work experience in building a legal career. “You can gain experience through open days at law firms, working as a paralegal, or through pro bono activities with your university,” he lists. “I volunteer at a pro bono clinic where I’m paired with law students. It’s a great way for them to get practical experience in taking instructions, dissecting issues and giving practical, quick commercial advice.” And for those transferring from another career, Tarun affirms the benefits of experiences in other jobs or industries: “You’ll have gained potentially huge insights in your current role that’ll be of value to future clients. Make sure it shines through in your application forms as that’s one of your main unique selling points.”
like MeToo and Black Lives Matter, and the impact of covid-19 on businesses as well as addressing challenges thrown up by the current cost of living crisis. “Unlike some other fields, employment law is constantly changing and evolving”, which is why it’s such an exciting and dynamic area. A recent development is the growth of the gig, or platform, economy and the appropriate classification of gig workers – something Tarun played a chief role in during his time at Deliveroo. “Successfully defending the employment status of Deliveroo riders, bucking the trend of case law involving platforms in the UK and internationally, was significant,” he says. “As lawyers we often get to advise on the law but shaping it was a unique opportunity. I worked with law makers to create new legislation being passed across Europe and beyond to define the working relationships for individuals in the platform economy.” Of course, not every day is as exciting as this, but it certainly counts as a highlight in Tarun’s career so far. Moving on to a slightly dimmer outlook, Tarun reports on the “significant amount of market uncertainty in response to the cost of living crisis”. He says: “A number of companies want to reduce their cost bases and futureproof their businesses, regrettably resulting in potential headcount reductions.” Employment law can be cyclical like this, Tarun explains – the year he qualified was just after the Lehman Brothers went bust, so the beginning of his career involved “large scale redundancy exercises in financial services”. Tarun points out that “there are interesting and positive things we can do to support clients. For example, helping to define their future of work strategy – whether they’re looking to be remote first or hybrid; how they best reflect their brand values in their employment proposition; or the roll-out of broader ethnicity gap reporting and other initiatives to address social inequalities.”
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