Chris Cook

Chris Cook

Head of Employment & Data Protection
Partner
St.Albans
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EXPERTISE

I specialise in employment and data protection law, and I advise businesses and individuals on all aspects of their rights and responsibilities in both areas.

I advise employers on procedural issues such as disciplinary and grievance matters, with extensive experience in collective redundancy/restructuring programmes and transfer of undertakings for business ownership transfers and service provision changes. A large proportion of my work involves Employment Tribunal litigation, and where appropriate, I negotiate directly with opponents or via ACAS to achieve the best possible outcome for my clients.

I regularly advise individuals who are undergoing redundancy or restructuring programmes, including advice on the processes that their employers should be following, how to handle consultation meetings, and negotiating redundancy compensation packages.

The data protection advice I give is comprehensive, including both advising on and undertaking data audits to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018 (incorporating the UK GDPR), making and managing data subject access requests, drafting data protection documentation (such as privacy notices and data protection policies), managing data breaches, and assisting in the resolution of disputes. I am also the firm’s Data Manager.

I also regularly write articles on a range of matters for the media and the SA Law website – you can read some of them here.

KEY EXPERIENCE 

  • I qualified as a solicitor on 1st November 2001
  • Member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA)
  • Advising a large financial company operating a venture capital fund on the employment aspects of numerous investments
  • Acting on behalf of several purchasers, dealing with due diligence, raising additional enquiries, preparing detailed reports, and warranty and indemnity advice.
  • Acting on behalf of an employer in a High Court injunction and damages claim against a former employee
  • Advising an insolvency practitioner on the employment aspects of a pre-pack administration
  • Advising a private school on a personality clash dismissal, and representing the school in the subsequent unfair dismissal tribunal proceedings
  • Advising in disciplinary proceedings including acting for clients in disputes with the NHS, the Football Association and the Police force
  • Advising educational establishments including nurseries, schools (both independent and academies), colleges and universities on safeguarding.

CAREER HISTORY

  • Data Manager, SA Law
  • Partner, Head of Employment & Data Protection, SA Law
  • Solicitor, SA Law 
  • Solicitor, Pictons 
  • Trainee Solicitor, Pictons 
  • College of Law, Guildford, LLB, (PGDLP)
  • University of Kent, LLB Law 

IN GENERAL

Contact Chris Cook

Use this form to contact Chris Cook directly with details of your enquiry. It costs nothing to make an enquiry and it is entirely confidential.

Alternatively, you can email chris.cook@salaw.com or call 01727 798089.

See our privacy notice to find out how we use and protect your data.

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Events and Webinars
HR Forum Webinar: A deep-dive into the latest developments in enforcing restrictive covenants

Presented by SA Law's Employment and Commercial Litigation teams

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Views & Insights
Changes to Working Time Regulations, TUPE and Non-Compete Clauses

Chris Cook and Emily Morrison discuss the significant changes announced by the Government on Working Time Regulations, TUPE and Non-Compete Clauses.

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Views & Insights
Google: Parent Firm Alphabet Announces Worldwide Redundancies

Chris Cook comments on the recent redundancies made by Alphabet, a parent firm of Google.

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Chris Cook is excellent in his work, communication, knowledge, service that he provides to our business. What I really appreciate is that he understands…
Testimonial - Legal 500 2022
Chris Cook speaks at SA Law event
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Views & Insights
Changes to Right to Work Checks

Concessions on right to work checks implemented by the Home Office in the midst of the pandemic, came to an end on 30 September 2022. Gemma Jones explains…

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Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) extended to 30th September 2021

The 2021 Budget has announced the extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to 30 September 2021 which is a welcome relief for employees and employers…

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Events and Webinars
Employment - HR Forum

What’s next in employment law for 2022 plus actionable, must-know takeaways from recent COVID-19 case law

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Views & Insights
The UK’s Points-Based Immigration System

Chris Cook and Nishma Chudasama look at the new points-based immigration system which came into force on 1st January 2021.

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Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Extended

CJRS extended from 31 October 2020 to 31 March 2021 as UK ushers in lockdown 2.0

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SA Law thank clients for exceptional feedback in Chambers & Partners

SA Law achieves recognition for four of its teams, as well as for six individual lawyers in the 2021 Chambers & Partners research.

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Views & Insights
SA Law celebrates outstanding Legal 500 result

SA Law continue to be applauded for commitment, technical abilities and excellence in client care in the 2021 Legal 500.

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Views & Insights
Winter Economy Plan - What is the Job Support Scheme and how will it work?

Chris Cook examines the key points from Rishi Sunak's coronavirus winter economy plan.

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Views & Insights
Data Protection and workplace coronavirus testing

Managing the data protection challenges of workplace coronavirus testing

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Views & Insights
Guidance for enabling a safe “return to work”

A guide to returning to work safely for those who are unable to work from home.

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Chris Cook is insightful, commercial and has a great knack for seeing the other side of an argument, so is able to test matters with frightening speed.
Legal 500 (2022)
Chris Cook has a wide range of knowledge on the recruitment and employment industry.
Legal 500 (2020)
Chris Cook ‘understands the balance that needs to be struck between employment law and the commercial realities of business.
Legal 500 (2019)
Chris has a fantastic amount of knowledge about our industry and is always happy to provide advice and help where required.
Chambers & Partners