LAWYER
Emma Byford
Counsel | London
Emma Byford

Emma Byford deals with the full range of employment matters for corporate clients. She has particular experience in the employment aspects of transactional work including complex multi-jurisdictional acquisitions and mergers. Ms. Byford also regularly advises on the structure, content and drafting of employment and LLP documents including contracts, terms of admission, handbooks and termination documents and has significant experience in assisting clients to resolve employment disputes and negotiate settlements, as well as experience in dealing with high value High Court litigation.

Ms. Byford is recognised by Chambers UK for her employment law expertise. She is ranked in the 2023 guide as "Up and Coming" and was previously included as an "Associate to Watch." The 2023 guide quotes sources who report: "her advice is always commercial and pragmatic." Previous editions have reported: "[She is] fantastic; she is a great support and very proactive." Another source describes her as "constructive and solutions-focused." The 2022 edition of The Legal 500 UK, reports that she is "very calm and knowledgeable." She was previously included in Chambers UK from 2012-2015.

Ms. Byford completed her undergraduate law degree at the University of Leicester and also has a Masters in European Law from the University of Nottingham. She trained with Dechert LLP and was admitted as a solicitor in October 2006.

  • Exiger Limited on the acquisition of Versed AI Ltd.
  • Warwick Capital Partners on its acquisition of a majority stake in Danforth Care Partners.
  • One of the world’s largest players in the application delivery networking market, on the employment aspects of a global restructuring exercise, including assisting the client in planning the communication and roll out of the proposed restructuring, which involved a significant reduction in headcount across various departments in the business (including some senior management).
  • A specialist investment management company, and one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, in connection with its proposed acquisition of an investment service.
  • A global leader in data integrity in the multijurisdictional carve-out sale of one of its subsidiaries to a major software company.
  • A British manufacturing company on various senior employee recruitment and termination issues as well as providing more general restructuring advice.
  • A company providing trading infrastructure and solutions on a challenging senior executive termination and associated issues.
  • Hybrid Headaches Seminar, co-hosted with Harrison Holgate, (November 2023).
Services
    • University of Leicester, Law (LLB), 2002
    • The University of Nottingham, LL.M., European Law, 2003
    • England and Wales