This month, BDBF celebrates its 13th anniversary – thirteen years of delivering outstanding results for senior executives, partners and employers in the highest-stakes employment disputes.
BDBF has been independently top ranked by Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 year after year throughout its existence. We are proud to be the only firm in its category with all six of our partners individually ranked as employment law experts for Employment: Senior Executives. We were also featured as one of The Times Best Law Firms 2026 for employment law, as endorsed by our peers and have been shortlisted by the International Employment Lawyer as Senior Executive Team of the Year 2026.
Over the past 13 years, BDBF has secured precedent-setting judgments, negotiated life-changing exits and protected reputations in the most complex and sensitive cases. We treat every client as if their career depends on it, because it does. We know that clients come to us in a time of acute need, and it is a privilege to be able to help them.
Whilst we still settle the vast majority of the cases we deal with discreetly and elegantly, we do have a market leading track record in litigation. For example, recently, BDBF represented Sebastian Lapinski in a high-stakes disability discrimination claim against Triton Investment Advisers LLP and Swedish respondents. Overcoming jurisdictional disputes, BDBF secured a Tribunal victory and EAT appeal dismissal, reinforcing employee rights under the Equality Act 2010 and Brussels Regulation. BDBF also successfully represented Rob Gagliardi in the first employment anti-suit injunction obtained under the new jurisdictional regime that applies post-Brexit. This injunction halted his former employer, Evolution, from pursuing claims against him in New York, setting a precedent in employment law. In a recent high-profile case against Facebook, BDBF’s client alleged that Facebook inflated advertising product performance metrics, misleading customers and investors, and attempted to conceal this by integrating the flawed metric into its standard products. After receiving a poor appraisal, they were terminated, prompting them to seek interim relief in the Employment Tribunal. The case garnered widespread attention, including coverage in the Financial Times. You can read more about BDBF’s client successes here.
As of today, BDBF has 23 employment lawyers in our team (comprising six partners in addition to 17 other lawyers) supported by our eight-strong practice team that is wholly dedicated to client service.
BDBF has recently bolstered its team with the promotion of senior associates Blair Wassman and Theo Nicou to managing associates, and associate Connie Berry to senior associate. We further strengthened our leadership by promoting Samantha Prosser to partner level in spring 2025, bringing fresh perspectives to our dynamic practice. We were delighted to welcome the return of managing associate Jamie Barton, and to welcome Rose Lim as our new Knowledge Lawyer and senior associate Leigh Janes.
Adding a special layer to this year’s celebration, BDBF’s Managing Partner, Gareth Brahams, marks 30 years post-qualification experience (PQE) this month. Gareth’s unparalleled expertise and visionary leadership have been instrumental in shaping BDBF from its inception, guiding us through complex disputes and fostering a culture of excellence. On reaching this milestone, Gareth comments that “the great privilege of being a solicitor is that you come into people’s lives at the critical moments, whether it is because they are starting or selling their business, buying a house, have suffered a catastrophic personal injury, been accused of a crime, getting divorced or, yes, in my case, helping people whom after a stellar career have often hit the first bump in the road in their work lives. These amazingly successful and talented people have turned to us for help, and it is a privilege to help them. If we ever forget that, and ever do anything less than our best for them, then we pull the thread that pulls the whole thing apart.”
As BDBF steps into its 14th year, our founding goal endures – delivering outstanding outcomes for clients with brilliance, integrity and openness.
A heartfelt thanks to our colleagues, peers and above all, our clients, for the trust you place in us every day.
Here’s to the next chapter.
