Jennifer Ferrario

"Jennifer represented my daughter in a highly complex long running disability discrimination case against a very large company . Prior to the case my daughter had suffered from severe mental health problems. This made the case even more challenging for my daughter. When Jennifer became involved she immediately reviewed all the material and talked us through it very carefully and sensitively. She provided direct and clear advice to us and helped us even when she was on holiday. Jennifer is a consummate professional, showed true dedication and gave my daughter and I the strength to go on when the world seemed against us. She was an absolute tower of strength and we will always be grateful to her."
J. McCarthy (direct access client).

PROFILE

Jennifer qualified as a Solicitor in 1996 and upon becoming a Solicitor Advocate appeared in jury trials, before Police misconduct tribunals and upon transferring to he Bar in 2007 extended her practice to encompass employment law. Jennifer was Legal Counsel for the Environment Agency and Greater Manchester police 2003 -2017 where she conducted complex cases, advised on policies and procedures and sat on mental health, human rights and hate crime committees. Upon joining Chambers in 2017, Jennifer brought over 20 years’ experience of working directly with clients and this is reflected in the quality service that she provides, her prompt turnaround of work and all round management of expectation.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Jennifer’s practice comprises predominantly of Employment Law and Professional Misconduct, both areas complementing each other very helpfully to her clients. Jennifer also has extensive knowledge of Inquest proceedings and regularly appears before Special Educational Need Tribunals. Jennifer has considerable experience in appearing before the employment and regulatory tribunals in highly sensitive cases and is well versed in carefully addressing delicate matters with vulnerable witnesses.

EMPLOYMENT

Jennifer represents both Claimants and Respondents in all aspects of employment cases and has particular experience in unfair dismissals, discrimination and public interest disclosure claims.

• Representing a direct access claimant on a claim for constructive dismissal, age discrimination and harassment. Over a four-month period there are 16 allegations of discrimination involving 6 members of staff.
• Representing the Respondent in a case where the Claimant has forged documents to try and establish a contract of employment. Involves forensic expert evidence, handwriting expert evidence and allegations by both parties of significant dishonesty.
• Advising a Claimant in a case involving agency work and disability discrimination where the Claimant says that he will never work again because of the mental anguish that he has experienced. Jennifer has arranged for a preliminary hearing take place to address expert evidence and narrow the issues. A highly sensitive case requiring delicate client care.

PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT

Jennifer is the Head of the Police Misconduct Team and leads in providing training and practical advice and updates to the team.

In her own practice Jennifer regularly provides advice for and appears in, serious fitness to practise hearings for both regulators and for professionals. This includes cases alleging sexual assault, fraud, serious dishonesty and discriminatory behaviour, and Jennifer will lead her clients through challenging evidential issues.

• Representing Social Work England in a case involving several allegations of bullying and controlling behaviour over a three-year period by a senior social worker. Involves 9 witnesses, an unregistered registrant and eight preliminary applications for hearsay and special measures.
• Representing Social Work England against an unrepresented social worker facing two allegations of rape. The hearing will involve special measures, applications for privacy and anonymity and highly sensitive evidence.
• Advising and representing a junior doctor on a direct access basis facing allegations of sexual assault against a female colleague. Jennifer is currently assisting in relation to the admissibility of evidence and the hearing bundle.
• Advising and representing a senior radiographer on a direct access basis, where the allegations are considerable, and the witness statement bundle runs to over 200 pages. Jennifer's client is severely disabled and can only engage for very short periods of time which is challenging in a case that is document heavy.

OTHER

Jennifer is our Champion for pro bono work and always has conduct of at least one pro bono case at any one time and has a particular interest in representing the more vulnerable in discrimination cases. Jennifer is also a mentor to the more junior members of Chambers in Professional Misconduct and a Panel Mentor for the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers.

DIRECT ACCESS

Having been accredited by the Bar Council since 2017 to undertake direct public access cases, Jennifer is regularly instructed by members of the public in both employment and professional misconduct cases.