Victoria is a pensions and employment specialist, recognised as a leading junior in both by Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. Her practice includes pure pensions/employment, as well as related professional negligence work.

Victoria also has significant international experience, and has appeared before a number of international administrative tribunals.

The directories recommend Victoria as “a strong barrister” who “knows the law backwards but holds her brightness lightly” and “is compelling in court”. She is “willing to give views on tricky technical points” and “performs at a level far beyond her year of call”. At the same time, Victoria prides herself on being “great to work with” and “a real team player”.

Much of Victoria’s work is unled, and she is used to appearing against more senior opponents including KCs. She equally enjoys working as part of a team and regularly acts as junior counsel. She is particularly sought after for large-scale, long running or group litigation.

She was appointed to the Attorney General’s C Panel in October 2020.

Expertise

Victoria is a leading pensions junior with a practice spanning pure pensions issues as well as professional negligence claims and crossover employment/discrimination issues. She has experience in advisory work, litigation and regulatory matters. Her work includes issues of construction, rectification, the limits of amendment powers, s37 matters, equalisation, indexation, and severance.

Victoria also frequently acts in professional negligence claims against legal and actuarial advisers, including invalid scheme documentation and failed amendments (including estoppel, extrinsic contract and misrepresentation issues). She regularly advises on limitation problems and complicated issues of loss.

Victoria has acted in a number of the most significant pensions cases of recent years. She is recognised by the directories for her intellectual ability and oral advocacy, as well as strategic input and client care. She is adept at integrating into a team with those instructing.

Notable Pensions cases


Verity Trustees

A huge Part 8 action concerning a sectionalised scheme which has c.2,600 employers and 389,000 members. Thought to be the longest Part 8 submissions only trial ever heard in the Pensions list. Led by Nicolas Stallworthy KC.

Pennon

An unusual application by a Trustee for the Court to exercise its jurisdiction under section 57 of the Trustee Act 1925 to grant the Trustee power to make changes to the scheme’s deed & rules which are specifically prohibited by the scheme’s amendment power.

Places for People

Assisted the Representative Beneficiary team in complex Part 8 proceedings. Numerous issues, including validity of trust documentation over two decades, construction, severance, estoppel, etc. Led by Keith Bryant KC and Naomi Ling.

A Company vs Actuaries & Lawyers

A significant professional negligence claim involving issues of execution / validity, failed amendments, and failures to advise, affecting many aspects of the scheme and its governing documentation. Led by Andrew Short KC.

D v PPF & DWP

Acted for the Secretary of State for the DWP in respect of a claim of indirect discrimination relating to pensions legislation.

Briggs & ors v Clay & ors

The £60m multiparty professional negligence claim arising from the judgment of Newey J in Re Gleeds. Acting for the Defendant Solicitors. The interlocutory judgment concerning without prejudice privilege is reported at [2019] EWHC 102 (Ch).

McCloud v MOJ & Lord Chancellor

Direct age discrimination, indirect discrimination and equal pay claims brought by judges in respect of the civil service pension reforms.

Victoria’s employment practice spans both advisory and contentious work in the Tribunals and High Court. She regularly represents clients across the breadth of statutory employment law, with particular experience in complex discrimination and whistleblowing matters. Her High Court work includes acting for individuals, teams, and current & former employers. Victoria’s advisory practice spans both black letter law and topical matters such as social media and dress code policies.

Victoria is frequently instructed by global and national companies, including those listed in the FTSE 100. Victoria is also experienced in acting for public authorities and local governments, including Transport for London and the Prison Service. She regularly represents individual claimants, senior executives and unions. She also advises on and acts in discrimination claims in the County Courts, including services and government / public function claims.

Victoria is adept at managing and conducting internal investigations. The breadth of Victoria’s practice allows her to recognise and manage consequential legal risks, whether commercial or employment related. Victoria accepts instructions in investigations dealing with the full range of misconduct, regulatory and internal disputes.

Clients value Victoria’s combination of technical expertise with her approachability. She is recognised by the directories as being a hard-working and compelling advocate, who is tactically astute as well as pragmatic.

Notable Employment, Discrimination & Investigations cases


Asda Equal Pay litigation

Victoria acts for the claimants represented by Leigh Day in the first of the mass retail equal pay claims, including representing those claimants as sole counsel in the EAT.

McCloud v MOJ & Lord Chancellor

Direct age discrimination, indirect discrimination and equal pay claims brought by judges in respect of the civil service pension reforms.

Rooney v Leicester City Council

One of the earlier claims of disability discrimination relying on the menopause which has received a lot of press coverage. More coverage in The Guardian and BBC.

Pady v HMRC & Others

At the EAT only, a group claim of direct age discrimination in respect of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme involving arguments of abuse of process regarding stayed claimants seeking not to be bound by the determination of sample claims.

Mehta v KRF UK & Others

Represented the claimant in a race and sex discrimination claim against a private office and multiple individuals involving complicated points of the territorial jurisdiction of the Equality Act 2010 against individual respondents.

AB v A Public Authority

Represented the claimant in a sex discrimination claim involving sexual assault by a senior executive at the respondent.

Arbitration

An arbitration about incorporation of a document into employment contracts. Group claim in one location but expected to have national impact.

Victoria acts for international civil servants and staff associations, internally and before International Administrative Tribunals. She has advised clients and/or appeared before the Administrative Tribunals of the World Bank, OAS, EBRD, UN, Islamic Development Bank, ILO, and others.

Victoria acts in all cases relating to International Organisations, in particular relating to their privileges and immunities, internal disciplinary proceedings, relief from administrative decisions, class actions and whistleblowing retaliation.

Recent cases include:

  • Representing a C-level international civil servant in disciplinary proceedings.
  • Advising multiple women in respect of equal pay issues and a potential group claim.
  • Representing a senior employee of a compliance team in respect of whistleblowing retaliation.
  • Acting in the first case before the Islamic Development Bank’s Administrative Tribunal.

Victoria also has experience in claims involving sexual harassment, high profile complaints and successfully obtaining reinstatement.

Related updates

Victoria Brown is regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and holds a current practising certificate. If you are not satisfied with the service provided, please click here.

"She produces clear-cut advice and is willing to give views on tricky technical points."; "Victoria is a strong barrister with genuine expertise."

Pensions ,Chambers & Partners 2025

"Victoria is one of my first choices for Counsel."; "Victoria is excellent to work with; thorough, astute and technically sound."

Employment, Chambers & Partners 2025

'Solicitors would instruct her in a flash - she is approachable, friendly and level-headed.'

Pensions, Legal 500 2025

'She knows the law backwards but holds her brightness lightly, and is a great asset when in the trenches of long running litigation.'

Employment, Legal 500 2025

"Victoria is one of my first choices for counsel. She is great to work with, enthusiastic and never cuts corners. She is very strong on cases involving novel issues. I 100% trust her with clients."; "She is absolutely brilliant to work with. She is on top of the law, very good at seeing the wood for the trees as well as dialing things down in difficult situations with a phenomenal amount of tact."; "Victoria is excellent. She’s extremely assured, very well prepared and has a great manner with clients and witnesses alike."

Employment, Chambers & Partners 2024

"Victoria is mature beyond her year of call in terms of being a legal sounding board."; "Victoria is an outstanding barrister and an asset to Outer Temple. She is hard-working, communicative and a real team player. Her technical skills are first-rate; her drafting is clear and concise, and she always takes a reasoned and decisive view in advice."

Pensions, Chambers & Partners 2024

‘Victoria is an excellent junior. She can see the wood for the trees and is compelling in court.'

Employment, Legal 500, 2024

“Victoria's advocacy is excellent; she deals with complex issues with confidence and performs at a level far beyond her year of call.”

Employment, Chambers and Partners 2023

"Impressive ability to handle and digest large volumes of complex material in a short timeframe. Excellent teamwork and collaboration skills, and her drafting style is persuasive and clear."

Victoria Brown, Pensions, Legal 500 2023

"Victoria’s advocacy is excellent and she performs at a level far beyond her years of call. She is enthusiastic, and in discrimination cases she goes above and beyond in terms of the level of preparation and work done. She dealt with complex issues with confidence, including addressing novel points argued by the other sides; and her advice helped us to cut through the case’s complexities."

Employment, Legal 500 2023

"She has excellent interpersonal skills. Super in a stressful situation. A real team player who is an asset to any team."

Pensions, Legal 500 2022

"Victoria grasps the detail of the case at the early stages, and has a calm and friendly demeanour. She is pragmatic, well prepared and presents very persuasive arguments with a clear attention to detail - Victoria immediately puts the witnesses at ease, and delivers detailed and succinct arguments."

Employment, Legal 500 2022

To find out more, contact Matt Sale on +44 (0)20 7427 4910 or Andy Hunter on +44 (0)20 7427 4905 for a confidential discussion.

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

  • Recommended by Legal 500 UK for Employment and Pensions

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