Patrick has developed a broad commercial practice, with a particular focus on commercial litigation, pensions, financial services, information law and employment.

He has appeared before the High Court, County Court, First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights), Employment Appeal Tribunal and Employment Tribunal. Patrick also has experience in group litigation with a professional negligence and fraud focus.

Patrick has a particular interest in data protection, where he has experience of litigation involving the GDPR and the data protection framework, and in the regulatory aspects of both pensions and financial services matters. He has been on secondments to the FCA and TPR and continues to be instructed by them.

Prior to joining chambers, Patrick worked in the Court of Appeal as the judicial assistant to Sir Ernest Ryder, the Senior President of Tribunals.

Expertise

Patrick accepts instructions in all areas of pensions law and has particular experience in regulatory aspects of pensions law gained from secondments to both the Pensions Regulator and the FCA.

Highlights of recent work include:

  1. Acting for a pensioner and drafting pleadings in a complaint to the Pensions Ombudsman regarding the application of the Firefighters’ Compensation Scheme.
  2. Assisting the Pensions Regulator with the assessment process for DB superfunds.
  3. Instructions from a leading solicitors firm to review the governing documentation of several occupational pension schemes.
  4. Advising and assisting the Financial Conduct Authority with drafting the Handbook rules applicable to both pension providers and dashboard providers.

He is a member of the Association of Pension Lawyers.

Patrick is developing a broad commercial practice and has appeared in court in a variety of contractual claims. Patrick’s advisory and drafting work has covered breach of contract, insolvency and restitution claims.

Examples of recent instructions include:

  • Advice on liability and drafting of pleadings in a breach of contract claim against the former director of a company which had been dissolved
  • Advisory work on breach of contract claims involving issues of contractual interpretation
  • Acting for the Claimant, former director and shareholder, in a dispute over remuneration involving allegations of illegality and breaches of the Companies Act.

Patrick is experienced in information law and data protection. His experience stems from his secondment to the FCA during which he advised on:

  • The handling of subject access requests and requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
  • The processing and sharing of information under the DPA 1998 and 2018 and the GDPR.
  • Referrals to the ICO for alleged failures to comply with FOIA and subsequent appeals to the First-tier Tribunal
  • Litigation involving allegations of breach of the GDPR and misuse of private information.

He continues to be instructed on data protection and FOIA matters. Examples of recent instructions include:

Notable Information rights cases


Burton v IC (FtT, 2021)

Successfully advising and representing the FCA in this FOIA appeal relating to the application of s348 of the Financial Services and Markets Act to mutual

Khan v IC (FtT, 2021)

Successfully acting for the FCA in this FOIA appeal concerning the proper scope of the request and adequacy of searches.

Advice on various FOIA internal reviews and referrals to the ICO.

Advising the FCA on the data protection, and privacy and electronic communication, matters arising from the regulatory framework for pension dashboards.

Patrick is experienced in the financial services regulation having been seconded to the General Counsel’s Division of the FCA. He gained experience across the breadth of financial services regulation.

Patrick continues to be instructed by the FCA on a range of matters. Most recently he has been advising and assisting on the drafting of the Handbook rules for pension providers and dashboard providers in relation to pension dashboards.

Patrick acts for both Claimants and Respondents in preliminary and final hearings in all areas of employment and discrimination law, in addition to providing written advice and drafting pleadings. Patrick has experience in appellate matters, including being instructed on appeals in Employment Appeal Tribunal and assisting with appeals in the Court of Appeal.

Examples of Patrick’s recent instructions include:

  • Acting (led) in the Employment Appeal Tribunal in an appeal concerning the application of time limits under the Equality Act.
  • Acting (led) in the Employment Appeal Tribunal in an appeal concerning strike out in discrimination claims and disability status.
  • Successful representation of a Claimant who was dismissed for alleged misconduct. He received the full value of his Schedule of Loss.
  • Successful representation of a company facing an unfair dismissal claim by an employee dismissed for misconduct, including breach of Financial Conduct Authority’s conduct rules.
  • Successful applications at the preliminary stage for strike out of an unfair dismissal claim and determination of time limits on behalf of Respondent.
  • Acting as junior counsel (led by Saul Margo) in a complex whistleblowing claim listed for 15 days.

Notable Employment cases


Reed v Thorney Golf Club (ET/EAT, 2022)

Acting unled in several linked appeals in the Employment Appeal Tribunal concerning costs orders, postponements and Rule 21 judgments.

A v An NHS Trust (2022)

Acting (led by Andrew Allen KC) for the Defendant NHS Trust in a High Court claim for an injunction to restrain ongoing disciplinary proceedings.

Palihakkara v Robertson Bell Ltd and anr (EAT, 2021)

Acting (led by Jeremy Lewis KC) in the Employment Appeal Tribunal in an appeal concerning the application of time limits under the Equality Act.

Rooney v Leicester City Council (EAT, 2021)

Acting (led by David E Grant KC) in the Employment Appeal Tribunal in an appeal concerning whether menopause amounted to a disability and the issue of strike out in discrimination claims.

Jandu v Marks & Spencer plc (ET, 2022)

Successful representation of a Claimant in her claim against a multinational retailer for disability discrimination and unfair dismissal.

Nolan v East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (ET, 2021)

Successful representation of a paramedic against an NHS Trust in her claims for constructive discriminatory dismissal due to disability.

Flanagan v London Fire Commissioner (ET, 2022)

Successful representation of a Claimant against the fire service for trade union detriment.

Related updates

To find out more, contact Matt Sale +44 (0)20 7427 4910 or George Bennett on +44 (0)207 427 0807 for a confidential discussion.

Our dedicated practice management team can help you identify the right barrister for your case.

  • Association of Pension Lawyers
  • COMBAR

  • The Cynthia Terry award (Gray’s Inn, 2016)
  • BPP Excellence Award (2016)
  • Alan Urbach Memorial Prize for Jurisprudence (for highest mark in the paper in University College, Oxford) (2014)
  • Rowley Prize for Land Law (for highest mark in the paper in University College, Oxford) (2014)
  • Exhibition (awarded by University College, Oxford, for academic achievement) (2011-2014)

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