Employment Tribunal Representation for Employers

Strategic defence in high-stakes disputes

When an employment matter reaches tribunal, the implications can extend far beyond legal costs. There are reputational risks to manage, internal morale to preserve, and valuable leadership time at stake. At Watershed, we act solely for employers, delivering strategic, robust representation in tribunal proceedings, with discretion, rigour and commercial clarity.


Our work begins before the hearing notice lands. We guide employers through the tactical landscape of litigation, from early-stage response through to final judgment or negotiated resolution.



Whether the issue is complex discrimination, alleged whistleblowing, or a straightforward unfair dismissal, our focus is the same: resolve the matter in a way that aligns with your business priorities.


A seamless litigation team, advocacy included

Unlike many employment law practices, Watershed’s lawyers often conduct their own advocacy. This approach offers clients rare continuity: the same team that builds your case will present it at hearing. The result is not just efficiency, but a deeper, more fluent grasp of the evidence, and a significantly stronger courtroom presence.


This integrated model helps explain our consistently high success rate at tribunal, particularly in complex multi-day hearings.

Scope of representation

We advise on the full range of statutory employment claims, including:

• Unfair dismissal – defending performance, conduct, and redundancy-related terminations.

• Discrimination claims – involving race, sex, disability, age, religion, and other protected characteristics.

• Whistleblowing – high-risk cases often involving regulatory scrutiny and board-level concern.

• Harassment and victimisation – claims brought under the Equality Act, including sensitive internal dynamics.

• Breach of contract – including wrongful dismissal and disputes over notice, holiday pay.

• Unlawful deduction of wages – including holiday pay entitlements and shortfalls

Our approach

We know tribunals can be daunting, especially for managers unaccustomed to legal proceedings. Our role is to prepare you thoroughly and guide you confidently through the process. That means:

• Meticulous preparation – drafting persuasive witness statements, compiling bundles, and shaping the legal strategy.

• MClear, commercial advice – balancing legal strength with reputational impact and cost exposure.

• MIn-house advocacy – enabling end-to-end management of your case with no hand-offs or dilution of insight.

• MPragmatic settlement – we pursue negotiated outcomes through Acas early conciliation or direct engagement when it serves your interests.

Why Watershed

Watershed is not a generalist firm. We act exclusively for employers and are deeply embedded in the realities of business leadership. Our practice is shaped by three distinct strengths:

• Employer-only focus – we never act for claimants, which ensures absolute alignment with your priorities.

• Integrated advocacy – few boutique firms combine litigation strategy with courtroom advocacy in-house.

• Board-level insight – many of our instructions stem from our close relationship with Collinson Grant, giving us access to strategic decision-making at senior levels.

We don’t litigate for litigation’s sake. We help employers assess whether a hearing, a settlement, or a reputational containment strategy best serves their interests—and we act accordingly.

Recent matters

Our lawyers have recently:

• Successfully defended multi-day discrimination claims involving C-suite executives.

• Secured costs awards against claimants pursuing weak or vexatious claims.

• Represented employers in whistleblowing and unfair dismissal claims in sectors including care, retail, and engineering.

• Delivered advocacy in complex hearings involving sensitive reputational issues and significant financial exposure.

When to contact us

Whether you’ve received an ET1 or simply anticipate a claim, early advice can be decisive. We often intervene at the pre-claim stage., through correspondence, conciliation, or strategic planning. to de-escalate risk before it materialises. But when a hearing is unavoidable, we’re ready to defend with rigour.