Anthony Purvis

Head of Employment Law

Waterfront Law
People
Anthony Purvis

Anthony advises employers and employees on all the employment law issues that can and do arise in workplaces.

Anthony is known for his pragmatic and responsive approach. His robust commercial advice is welcomed by clients, who also appreciate his sympathetic support during what can be very stressful workplace disputes. Indeed, most clients find Anthony and his team through referrals or word of mouth from happy customers.

Clients include businesses of all sizes, from multinationals through to start-ups, as well as employees, and are often found in the firm’s wide tech client-base, but with many also coming from areas such as retail, PR and marketing, travel and music.

Anthony’s practice covers the lifespan of the employment relationship: from drafting contracts and restrictive covenants, through to disciplinary issues and grievances, and on to dismissals and Employment Tribunal or High Court litigation. He has in-depth experience and recognised expertise in matters such as TUPE and business sales or transfers.

After completing the Bar Vocational Course, Anthony trained as a solicitor at Dundas and Wilson (now part of CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang) and qualified in 2008. He joined Waterfront Solicitors in 2012 and was promoted to Head of Employment in 2015.

Anthony Purvis

Partner, Head of Employment

Recent Work

Advising the retailer, H&M, on HR issues and litigation.
The successful defence of a sexual harassment claim in the Employment Tribunal.
The successful defence of a claim for employee status brought by an agency worker.
Advising a tech SME on the restrictive covenants in the employment contract between a competitor and a prospective new hire.
Defending a group claim brought by over 100 claimants in the Employment Tribunal.
Negotiating the exit package of a senior advertising executive.
Advising on the potential closure of a client site and the associated large-scale redundancy process affecting more than 200 people.
Negotiating the severance package of an employee who had recently returned from maternity leave.
Advising on and negotiating the exit terms of an employee on long-term sickness absence.
Advising a sales director on the terms and conditions of employment offered to them by their new employer.
Advising on the TUPE implications of a client’s outsourcing project.
Advising an international tech client on its return to office working after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Successfully defending an Employment Tribunal claim for disability discrimination and unfair dismissal brought by an employee who was dismissed for ill health reasons.
Negotiating termination conditions and a good financial package for an employee who was subject to allegations of gross misconduct.
Advising a charity on and assisting with the negotiation of the termination of one of its senior employees.

Client Feedback

Anthony is our “go to” for advice on employment and HR legal issues in the UK. We really value his practical and commercial guidance in helping us find the right solution to a problem. Workable
I went to Anthony for assistance when my role was at risk of redundancy. He walked me through my options in detail and maintained a high level of communication as we progressed. At each decision we discussed options and agreed the best way forward so I was both reassured and confident every step of the way. Due to his hard work on my behalf he was able to secure a better severance package for me. I would certainly recommend his services to others in the same position. Senior Marketing Executive
Anthony was very responsive, professional and a pleasure to deal with. His expertise helped us to reach a satisfactory outcome in a short amount of time. Business Owner, Food & Beverage Industry
Anthony Purvis met with me. Having explained my situation to him, he was so kind, so supportive. It was over a six-month battle of negotiations and finally I got a call from him to say that my employer agreed, finally, to settle out of court. Employee, Luxury Retail
We have turned to Waterfront for advice on HR issues for several years now. We find their lawyers to be very knowledgeable, responsive and able to find practical solutions to the HR challenges we face as a large organisation. H&M

Professional Memberships

Employment Lawyers Association.

Anthony was very responsive, professional and a pleasure to deal with. His expertise helped us to reach a satisfactory outcome in a short amount of time.
Business Owner, Food & Beverage Industry
Anthony Purvis met with me. Having explained my situation to him, he was so kind, so supportive. It was over a six-month battle of negotiations and finally I got a call from him to say that my employer agreed, finally, to settle out of court.
Employee, Luxury Retail Industry
We have turned to Waterfront for advice on HR issues for several years now. We find their lawyers to be very knowledgeable, responsive and able to find practical solutions to the HR challenges we face as a large organisation.
H&M