I am so pleased to have taken up the position of Joint-CEO with Emma Webster, with effect from 11th June 2018. It is an immense privilege to take over this position from Camilla Palmer QC, and to continue the valuable work of YESS Law since it was founded in 2014. We are fortunate to have Camilla’s continuing support and input with advisory work and independent workplace investigations, as well as establishing our mediation practice, and I am very excited about this development.
It is several years since I stepped out of private legal practice, and I always knew that a role would need to fulfil a number of key criteria for me to return to practice. In the interim, I’ve had a varied portfolio of roles, including lecturer and trainer, HR consultant and HR manager. I’m also a trained Mental Health First Aider.
In all of this, I have come to realise the things that give me a meaningful and positive work experience, namely:
– Sharing my knowledge and experience with others, in a way that suits their needs.
– Facilitating positive working relationships.
– Influencing at multiple levels of an organisation to encourage fairness and consistency.
– Not letting the law or policy get in the way of a practical win-win solution, if one exists.
– Supporting vulnerable people when workplace issues have an impact on them.
This role gives me the opportunity to do all of those things, as well as using my business development experience to raise our profile and secure new work. Even at this early stage of my tenure, I am already finding the work rewarding and worthwhile. My vision is to grow YESS Law in a sustainable way, so that we can help even more people in the coming years.
Our model is simple, yet highly effective. We never litigate. Our purpose is to resolve workplace issues without tribunal proceedings. We charge private clients according to their income and in many cases, we will be able to help those on low or no incomes without charge. We charge employers reasonable fees for our advisory work and have a number of not-for-profit and small commercial organisations who turn to us for their employment advice needs. As a charity, we make no profits. All our income is used for running costs and to help as many people as possible.
We are always delighted to receive referrals and recommendations, so if you are reading this and you are any of the following, then we would be pleased to hear from you:
- An employment lawyer who has to turn away potential clients because there is a conflict of interests or they will have difficulty affording your fees (whether they be an employee or an employer);
- An HR person whose organisation is proposing a Settlement Agreement (or multiple settlement agreements), and wishes to recommend a relevant independent adviser or arrange for one to advise multiple employees on-site;
- An organisation who needs to appoint an independent investigator for a disciplinary or grievance matter, or who needs a qualified mediator in a workplace dispute.
- Someone who may be asked for a recommendation for an employment law solicitor, whether that be for a general workplace issue or in relation to a Settlement Agreement.
I’m always looking to expand my network, so please come and find me!
Karen Teago
Joint-CEO and Principal Solicitor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-teago-1778551b/
Twitter: @teago_emplaw