Weekdays 8am to 8pm

110 Bishopsgate, City of London

The Legal 500: Leading Partner 2027

020 7374 6546
020 7374 6546 Get advice

Employment lawyers · City of London

We know both sides. We’re on yours.

We act for employers and for senior executives. So whichever side of the table you’re on, you get senior lawyers who know how the other side thinks, and how to move them.

Where do you sit?

I’m an employee or executive Settlement agreements, exits, discrimination, whistleblowing I’m an employer or in HR Disputes, restructures, exits, the Employment Rights Act

Or call 020 7374 6546 Confidential, no-obligation first conversation

Hina Belitz, Partner at Partners Employment Lawyers
The Legal 500 Leading Partner UK 2027
Hina Belitz Partner · 30+ years in employment law
  • 30+years of specialist employment law experience
  • 1,000+settlement agreements advised on
  • 80+tribunal and High Court claims argued by Hina in person
  • 8am–8pmweekdays, when you need to talk

Hina’s commentary has featured in

  • The Times
  • Financial Times
  • ITV News
  • Sky News
  • The BMJ
  • People Management
  • Personnel Today

01Both sides of the table

Most employment lawyers pick a side. We know both.

We advise businesses and the people who work for them. So we know the playbook from both ends: how employers build a case, how executives push back, what a fair exit really looks like and where the leverage sits. Whichever side you’re on, that knowledge works for you.

For employees & executives

Your job, your reputation, your exit. Protected.

We advise executives and senior employees in finance, property, telecoms, education and beyond. We’ll tell you where you stand, what you’re entitled to and how to get it, calmly and clearly.

Our edge: we advise employers too, so we know their tactics before they use them.

Get advice as an employee

For employers & HR

Disputes contained. Decisions defensible. Business protected.

Financial institutions, technology and property businesses, charities, schools, embassies and international royalty rely on us for fast, commercial advice, from one-off questions to boardroom strategy.

Our edge: we act for executives too, so we know what they’ll ask for, and what they’ll settle for.

Get advice as an employer

02Who you’ll work with

Big-firm pedigree. Boutique attention.

Partners is led by Hina Belitz, a Legal 500 Leading Partner with more than 30 years in employment law.

Hina has led employment teams at City firms including DLA Piper, Dentons and Pinsent Masons, ran her own City practice for over a decade, and has personally conducted the advocacy in more than 80 claims at the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal and High Court.

Today she advises boards, HR leaders and senior executives in finance, technology, property, education and the charity sector, as well as embassies and international royalty. She co-wrote the Penguin Guide to Employment Rights, has written for The Times and the BMJ, and has appeared on ITV News and Sky News.

She works with a team of lawyers, barristers and HR professionals, including senior paralegal Ismini Katsadouri and paralegal Jo Helme. And because our legal services are provided through Excello Law, a full-service firm, matters that stray into corporate, banking or property law are covered too.

Speak to Hina Hina’s direct line: 07809 694 400

03Settlement agreements

Been handed a settlement agreement? Don’t sign it yet.

A settlement agreement ends your employment on agreed terms. In return for a payment, you give up your right to bring claims against your employer.

The law says it only counts if you’ve had independent legal advice first. That’s why your employer will usually cover or contribute to the cost of that advice.

We’ve advised on more than 1,000 settlement agreements, for executives and for the companies offering them. We’ll tell you whether the offer is fair and what’s missing, and we’ll negotiate for you if it should be better.

“The whole tone of the conversation changed when my employer recognized that I had engaged professional outside help.”

Individual client, settlement agreement

Free guide: settlement agreements explained

What’s usually included, how payments are taxed and what you can negotiate.

Get the guide

Two-minute check

Before you sign: does your agreement deal with these?

Tick everything your draft includes.

Settlement agreement checklist

Tick what your draft covers to see where the gaps might be.

Get your agreement reviewed

General information, not legal advice. Every agreement is different.

04For employers · Employment Rights Act 2025

The biggest shake‑up of employment law in a generation. Is your business ready?

The Employment Rights Act 2025 is arriving in stages. Some changes already apply, more start on 30 October, and the biggest change to unfair dismissal arrives on 1 January 2027. Now is the time to get contracts, policies and processes in order.

  1. In force

    April 2026

    • Paternity leave and unpaid parental leave from day one
    • Statutory sick pay from the first day of absence, with the lower earnings limit removed
    • Whistleblowing protection for reporting sexual harassment
    • Maximum protective award for collective redundancy failures doubled to 180 days
    • The Fair Work Agency launched to enforce workers’ rights
  2. This month

    October 2026

    • 1 October: six months, not three, to bring most tribunal claims
    • 30 October: a duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment
    • 30 October: employers liable for harassment of staff by third parties, such as clients and customers
  3. Coming next

    January 2027

    • 1 January: unfair dismissal protection after six months’ service, down from two years
    • 1 January: the cap on unfair dismissal compensation removed
    • Expected: dismissing staff who refuse new terms (‘fire and rehire’) made automatically unfair, in most cases
  4. Dates to be confirmed

    Later in 2027

    • Stronger protection from dismissal for pregnant workers and new mothers
    • Flexible working requests harder to refuse
    • Guaranteed hours and shift notice for zero-hours workers
    • Bereavement leave, including for pregnancy loss
    • Limits on NDAs that stop people speaking up about harassment or discrimination

Fixed-fee contract and policy review

We’ll review your employment contracts, handbook and key policies against the new law, and tell you exactly what needs to change, for a fee agreed upfront.

Book a fixed-fee review October 2026 briefing (PDF)

Dates from the government’s Employment Rights Act timeline (updated 25 September 2026) and the commencement regulations. Dates not yet set in regulations can still change, so check our latest briefing before you act.

05How it works

From first call to calmer waters.

  1. 1

    Tell us what’s happening

    Call, email or use the form. We’ll listen first, then ask the questions that matter. Everything you tell us is confidential.

  2. 2

    Get a clear view

    We’ll explain where you stand, your options and the risks in plain English, and be upfront about what our help will cost before you commit.

  3. 3

    Agree the plan, together

    We agree the outcome you want and the strategy to get there. You stay in control. We do the heavy lifting.

  4. 4

    We see it through

    Negotiation, settlement or, where it’s needed, the Employment Tribunal or High Court. We stay with you until it’s resolved.

Start with step one

06Client voices

Calm, clear and on your side.

“Hina Belitz is approachable and easy to get along with, and at the top of her game. … She is robust when needed, but able to put clients at ease.”

Client feedback, The Legal 500 UK 2024

  • “Over time, Hina Belitz’s knowledge of how we run our business has paid dividends and her whole team effectively acts as our HR department.”

    Client feedbackThe Legal 500 UK 2023

  • “Hina Belitz is precise, knowledgeable and able to adapt to different situations and individuals. She manages to explain complex procedures in a way that makes them understandable to non-lawyers.”

    Client feedbackThe Legal 500 UK 2024

  • “Giving me a calm and encompassing perspective at such moments was, itself, an immense relief to me, as was simply having someone on my side.”

    Individual clientExit negotiation

  • “We won the Employment Tribunal claim hands down which we know deflected much larger threatened proceedings.”

    Nick WatsonDirector, Pearl & Coutts Ltd

  • “Hina was a most reassuring presence at a difficult time. Everything was clearly explained and she was most capable in expediting an acceptable outcome.”

    Head TeacherMajor private school, London

  • “Working with Hina Belitz over the past 5 years has been a breath of fresh air. … I would not make any key legal decisions without her input.”

    DMHR Director

  • “Since Hina’s training day we have reduced absences by 60%.”

    Mark JacksonSeeboard

  • “Thank you so much for all your help and advice. It was nice dealing with someone who honestly cared.”

    Kylea JarroldIndividual client

  • “Thank you so much for all your support and wise counsel. We couldn’t have survived it without you.”

    JK, HRMajor international children’s charity

  • “Their delivery was clear and was easily understood – there was certainly no confusing legal speak or jargon that we had to get our heads around.”

    Company training clientManaging redundancies session

Read our Google reviews

07Training

The best dispute is the one that never starts.

From 30 October 2026, employers must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment at work, and become liable when clients or customers harass their staff. Training your people well is one of the most important of those steps, and one of the best ways to show you took them.

In person or remote

Bespoke training for your organisation

Hina trains managers and non-managers alike, so the whole organisation is engaged. Sessions are built around real cases, with quizzes and group work instead of a dry lecture.

  • Harassment, bullying and the difference between them
  • Discrimination and protected characteristics
  • Unconscious bias, and why it matters
  • Handling complaints and investigations well
Plan a session

Online · 24/7

Workplace sexual harassment course

A 20-minute interactive course created by Hina with Upskill People. It teaches the legal definitions through real-life scenarios and shows what good policies and procedures look like.

  • Assessment and digital certificate for every learner
  • Reporting on how your people engage with each part
  • A record of the steps you’ve taken to prevent harassment
  • Bonus live session, and discounts for larger teams
See the course

Delegates from The Associated Press, Colas Rail, Euromonitor International, Walker Books and the London Borough of Newham have joined Hina’s sessions.

08Insights

Employment law, explained as it happens.

All news and insights

Why a seahorse?

Steady in any current.

Seahorses are nature’s partners. Many pair up and greet each other every morning, and they share the load: it’s the male that carries the young.

And when the current turns strong, a seahorse doesn’t fight it. It holds fast to something steady until the water calms.

That’s the partner we set out to be.

09FAQs

Questions people ask us first.

Something else on your mind? Call 020 7374 6546 or email us. We’re here weekdays from 8am to 8pm.

Do you act for employees or employers?

Both, and that’s what makes us different. We advise businesses, HR teams and boards, and we advise executives and senior employees, so we know how the other side thinks. We never act for both sides in the same matter, so we run a quick conflict check before we advise you.

I’ve been offered a settlement agreement. Who pays for your advice?

Usually your employer, at least in part. A settlement agreement only binds you if you’ve had independent legal advice, so employers normally cover or contribute to the cost. We’ll tell you what your employer is offering towards our fees, and what, if anything, you would pay, before we start.

How quickly do I need to act?

As soon as you can. Settlement offers often come with a deadline, and employment tribunal claims have strict time limits. For most claims it’s now six months from the date of dismissal or the act you’re complaining about, or three months if that happened before 1 October 2026. You usually need to contact Acas for early conciliation first, too. Early advice keeps every option open.

Is what I tell you confidential?

Yes. Everything you share with us is treated in strict confidence, from your first call or message. If you’d rather your employer didn’t know you’re taking advice, tell us when and how it’s safe to contact you.

How much will it cost?

It depends on what you need, so we’ll give you a clear estimate once we understand your situation, before any work starts. For employers updating contracts and policies for the Employment Rights Act 2025, we offer reviews at a fixed fee. Excello Law publishes pricing information for employment tribunal claims.

Do you offer ‘no win, no fee’?

No. We don’t offer no win, no fee arrangements or part-payment plans, and our services aren’t covered by legal aid. We’ll always be clear about costs before you commit, and if we can’t help, we’ll try to point you to someone who can.

Can we meet in person?

Yes. Our office is at 110 Bishopsgate in the City of London, and we have meeting rooms across London, the South East and the West of England. Many clients prefer to talk by phone or video, and we’re available from 8am to 8pm on weekdays.

Who will work on my matter?

Our team is led by Hina Belitz, a Legal 500 Leading Partner with more than 30 years’ experience, working with lawyers, barristers and HR professionals. If your matter touches other areas of law, such as corporate, banking or property, Excello Law’s wider team can help.

Who regulates you?

Partners Employment Lawyers is not itself a firm of solicitors. Our lawyers are consultants at Excello Law Limited, which provides our legal services and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 652733).

10Talk to us

Tell us what’s happening. We’ll deal with it together.

A confidential, no-obligation first conversation with a senior employment lawyer. If something is urgent, call us now.

I am…
Is there a deadline?

For example, a date to sign a settlement agreement or a hearing date.

Your employer, or the employee. Because we act for both sides, we check for conflicts first.

A few lines is plenty. Please don’t send documents yet.

Call Get advice

Free guide

Settlement agreements, explained

What’s usually included, how payments are taxed, and what you can negotiate. We’ll take you straight to the download.