Emma O'Connor

Partner & Head of Client Training | Reading

London (City), Bristol

Emma is an employment law partner and is head of client training, working with clients to deliver tailored training to ensure compliance and best practices.

Emma is a highly experienced employment lawyer, specialising in providing strategic and practical advice to businesses across the UK, EU, and globally. With a reputation for delivering commercially focused legal advice and training solutions, she works closely with HR teams, Boards, managers, and senior leadership teams to navigate complex employment issues effectively.

With over 20 years of experience in employment law, Emma has a proven track record in advising businesses across various sectors, including finance, technology, healthcare, leisure, hospitality and professional services, providing pragmatic, commercially relevant and legally tailored advice to the specific needs of each business. She is recognised for her expertise in designing, developing and delivering workplace training and leadership development courses for Boards, managers, HR Teams and wider employee populations, and works with clients to deliver tailored training solutions and learning ecosystems to ensure compliance and best practices in employment law and wider leadership behaviours.

In addition to delivering client training, Emma provides legal support on a range of matters, including employment disputes and litigation, disciplinary and grievance procedures, redundancies and restructures, workplace policies and compliance, discrimination, harassment and equality law, and settlement agreements. Beyond legal representation, she is committed to knowledge-sharing and professional development through webinars and client workshops on employment law updates, regular speaking engagements at industry conferences and legal forums, writing articles and thought leadership pieces on employment law and HR trends, and hosting and contributing to podcasts on key workplace issues.

Qualifications & Professional Memberships

Law Degree, Exeter University (First Class)
Solicitor qualification (2001)
Member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA)
Legal expert for Menopause Experts Group
Chair of Governors at Desborough College, Maidenhead