I specialise in the non-contentious aspects of employment law. I advise on the workforce aspects of mergers and acquisitions and outsourcings in the private sector. On the public sector side, I work on outsourcings and restructurings, as well as general advisory work.

Tel: +44 (0)121 260 9822

Email: claire_hughes@wragge.com

Best brains in...

TUPE, collective consultation issues and international employment law – particularly in the EU and Hong Kong/China.

Highlight of your career so far?

Designing and writing HR training across six EU countries for a global telecoms company. This was a major project which involved educating HR professionals with responsibilities in several jurisdictions on the relevant employment law. It was an exciting and demanding project which really added value to the client's HR structure.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

Dealing with the employment aspects of a complex restructure, de-merger and disposal for an international property development company. Confidentiality was paramount and the deadline was tight. Completion of the project took place on a date when, having worked through the majority of the two previous nights, I was completely snowed in at home!

What about outside the UK?

Having lived and worked as an in-house lawyer in Hong Kong before joining Wragge & Co, I have a particular interest in the international side of our work. Over the past few years we have developed a very successful 'best friends' network of employment lawyers across Europe. We work regularly work together and meet annually to learn more about each other's employment laws and how we can work more effectively together.

What's your definition of going the extra mile… And when have you done it?

Going the extra mile means reacting to client needs which are 'above and beyond' the call of duty. In my case this often means working at unsocial hours to accommodate different time zones or to deliver on tight transaction deadlines.

How do you get under the skin of a client business?

Having worked as an in-house lawyer before, I appreciate the importance of doing whatever I can to understand the client's business. Site visits are an important part of this, as are meeting the HR professionals who often have valuable input on what is happening 'at the coalface'.

What's your single greatest contribution to Wragge & Co's corporate responsibility?

I am very conscious of environmental issues and do what I can to be environmentally responsible. This includes cutting back on paper usage in the last couple of years and our excellent IT systems help with that. I also do pro bono work for a number of clients and support junior lawyers in doing so.

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

"Clear and pragmatic"