Skip to content

Paul is a partner in the Employment Team.

He is an experienced employment lawyer who deals with all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment issues, focusing on pragmatic and commercial solutions wherever possible. Paul has a great deal of experience of conducting cases before Employment Tribunals, the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the Central Arbitration Committee.

Paul regularly advises clients on managing trade union issues (including union recognition, collective agreements and strikes) and collective consultation obligations (including substantial restructuring exercises, outsourcing, site closures, TUPE transfers and collective redundancies).

Experience

Paul acts for a diverse range of employers, but has particular experience in the following sectors:

  • Housing / care – Paul advises major housing organisations (including in the care aspects of housing) and is also Independent Deputy Chair, Audit Committee of Your Homes Newcastle
  • Education – Paul has advised schools, colleges and other education / training establishments since 1999. He has a great deal of experience in assisting education providers to manage both short-term staffing issues and long-term staffing strategies
  • Recruitment – Paul advises recruitment agencies on the law regulating employment agencies and employment businesses and also the employment rights of agency workers. He has particular experience in this field having previously worked in-house for the Reed Group
  • Local Authorities – Paul advises Local Authorities on large projects including collective redundancies, TUPE transfers, substantial misconduct investigations and the defence of large-scale litigation brought by multiple employees
  • Football – Paul has advised football clubs in the Premier League, Championship and Football League on employment matters, including in respect of the particular rules governing football players

Recent projects on which he has advised include:

  • The defence of a claim brought by three recognised trade unions on behalf of 15,000 employees following the merger of four local authorities into one unitary authority. The claim was successfully defended
  • Advising a Premier League football club on the dismissal (and related grievance) of a Premier League footballer and resulting compromise agreement
  • Advising a number of start-up recruitment agencies, to include regulatory advice and drafting all commercial/worker contracts
  • Advice to a multi-national client on the establishment of a European Works Council including the election of employee representatives
  • Acting for national employer clients defending claims for trade union recognition brought by unions in the Central Arbitration Committee
  • Advising a client in the motor manufacturing industry on a complex commercial project which involved the TUPE transfer of thousands of employees, a related collective redundancy consultation and the related creation of an employment business to supply agency workers.

What people say

  • He [Paul] is clearly very knowledgeable in his field and gives you upmost confidence in the advice being provided. He gives you sufficient time and listens to the area of support you require and provides sound legal and commercial advice.

    Legal 500, client quote
  • Paul Scope is very well regarded in the market. has the trust of his clients.

    Legal 500
  • Paul is very professional, approachable and down to earth. He listens, gives practical advice and guidance, and is easy to engage with....Paul continues to be our go-to: he's down to earth, very open, approachable and continues to do a really good job.

    Client quote
  • We have used Paul and the team for many years for complex HR issues, but traditionally we bought into an HR service from an employer's federation for day to day advice. We moved to HR Protect because, as a fast moving manufacturing company, we need our advice to be immediate and commercially focused. The support we have had from Paul and (especially) Hollie has been fantastic.

    Managing Director, Union Electric Steel
  • He has excellent technical knowledge and is always commercially aware, which is really important for the organisation.

    Client quote, Chambers & Partners
  • makes himself available and always gives excellent, honest and sensible advice.

    Client quote, Chambers & Partners
  • He always provides pragmatic advice within the context of the detailed understanding he has of our business; he builds great relationships, and has got to know my team very well.

    Client quote, Chambers & Partners
  • Down to earth, easy to communicate with and commercial.

    Chambers & Partners
  • I have and will continue to recommend Paul and his team to anyone who requires employment law advice.

    Karen Nicholson-Page, HR And Career Management Consultant

My insights