Praised as an ‘efficient’ and ‘well-run’ chambers, the clerks at Outer Temple Chambers are ‘polite and always ready to help and assist’.

Lydia Seymour

Call date: 1997
Areas of Law: Employment & Discrimination
Practice summary

Lydia Seymour has a specialist employment and equality law practice. She has substantial experience of employment and discrimination cases at all levels, with particular expertise in cases from the public sector, transport and financial services. She has been ranked by Chambers and Partners as a leading junior in employment law every year since 2005, with client comment including "Calm, thoughtful and a great advocate".

Lydia has acted in a number of high profile cases in the upper courts including: R (on the application of B) v Islington Borough Council [2010] All ER (D) 97 – disability discrimination and education; Arthur v London Eastern Railway [2007] ICR 193 - strike outs in whistleblowing claims; Baynton v South West Trains [2005] ICR 1730 - disability discrimination following the termination of employment; and Consignia v Sealy [2002] EWCA Civ 878 – time limits in unfair dismissal claims.

She also acts in equality law and education claims in the County Court, and represents public authorities in judicial review proceedings relating to special educational needs.

Lydia has a particular interest in alternative dispute resolution and has significant experience of conducting mediations in both employment and discrimination claims.

She co-edits the Discrimination section of Butterworths' Civil Court Practice (The Green Book) and is also a co-editor of Tottels Discrimination Law.

Lydia sits as a part-time Employment Judge in the London South region.

A selection of recent cases
  •  R (on the application of B) v Islington Borough Council
  • 2010] All ER (D) 97 
  • Disability discrimination and education.


 

  • Arthur v London Eastern Railway [2007] ICR 58 (CA).  Whistleblowing and striking out of claims.

 

  • Baynton v South West Trains
  • 2005 [ICR] 1730
  • Disability Discrimination after termination of employment and time limits.

 

  • Coxon -V- Rank Xerox (UK) Ltd
  • 2003]ICR 628 (EAT)
  • Contributory fault and unfair dismissal

 

  • Consignia -V- Sealy
  • [2002]3 All ER 801 (CA)
  • Employment Tribunal Procedure

 

  • Shergill v Coca-Cola
  • [2002]EAT, New Law Online 2/9/03 (EAT)
  • Meaning of disability

 

  • Fadipe -V- Reed
  • [2001]CA, Lawtel Ref C9900273
Lydia Seymour
Select elements

“extremely insightful and a very creative thinker”. Employment, Chambers and Partners 2012