Florence Brocklesby

Principal

Florence is the founder of Bellevue Law, and specialises in litigation, dispute resolution and employment law.

"Her USP is the value she adds on top of her legal knowledge. She is naturally strategic, meaning she navigates her clients to great outcomes and builds their confidence during what might otherwise be an emotionally difficult experience." - Chambers UK 2024

Florence trained and qualified, in 2000, at leading international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where she worked for eight years, including time in the firm’s London, Brussels and Hong Kong offices, before moving to the London office of the US firm Debevoise & Plimpton prior to founding Bellevue Law in 2014.

Florence handles both commercial disputes and employment law matters and she advises a range of clients including individual employees, founders and entrepreneurs and owner-managed, fast-growth and long-established businesses. Many of her clients are fellow lawyers and law firms.

Florence is recommended in the current editions of both the Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 directories. She is ranked as a leading individual in Chambers UK 2024, where client feedback described her as: “expert, reliable, thorough and easy to talk to” and “wonderful throughout a stressful process.”

Clients told Chambers UK 2022 that: "In my 25 years of experience, [Florence is] the most operational employment attorney I have worked with. Period."

"She gives excellent advice. She is very good at extracting the useful parts of the story, assessing the situation and giving a correct assessment of the pros and cons" and "She has confidence and an empathetic nature and, at the same time, she is pragmatic and clear."

Florence has also been ranked as a leading individual in the Legal 500 2023 and 2024, which states that she: "continues to excel in her painstaking attention to detail, exceptional client care and legal foresight. She is a pleasure to work with."

Employer clients told the directory that she: “has been a great support and I cannot recommend her highly enough. She has kept us safe. We are truly grateful for the support she gives us” and “has deep knowledge and a practical approach in advising on employment law.”

The Legal 500 2024 described her as being "a formidable employment lawyer and trusted adviser to senior executives, who maintains clear, strategic command of her complex cases."

Clients also described Florence as "full of energy and unflappable", "demonstrat[ing] a real sense of judgement in identifying issues and dealing with them pragmatically such that most of her focus was on the real deal killers. Superb articulation and summary to me of the risk factors" and "excellent, very understanding and her advice is outstanding. Very strategic approach and very strong experience advising employees in finance."

Both directories recognise Florence’s experience in the financial and professional services sectors, and advising on discrimination claims.

"In my 25 years of experience, the most operational employment attorney I have worked with. Period." - Chambers UK 2024

"Florence had been such a calming, wonderful person to work with. She sincerely fought for my case and I had 100% trust in her, her team, and that I received the best possible results considering how difficult the nature of my case was." – Legal 500 2022

"Florence is exceptional – A pleasure to deal with: positive, responsive, practical." – Legal 500 2023

Florence regularly acts for owner-managed and fast-growth businesses, particularly in the tech and luxury sectors, on their employment law matters and commercial disputes. She often advises on the crucial decisions that determine the future of a growing business, including supporting new founders in exiting their previous roles, managing restructuring processes, senior executive exits and shareholder disputes. As an entrepreneur herself, Florence enjoys the fast-paced nature of these clients' businesses and is able to give insightful and practical advice based on her professional and personal experience.

She also regularly acts for senior professional women in defending their workplace rights, including in sex and maternity discrimination claims, and cases of sexual harassment or assault. She is regularly referred work in this field by previous clients, who value her experience and understanding of these issues, and empathetic approach.

"My experience working with Florence was wonderful! She was patient and spent a lot of time explaining my options. I never felt rushed or pressured to make a decision. She had empathy and compassion as this was not a pleasant situation and it was nice to feel she understood it from a human perspective. I felt the service I received top notch and the fees were very fair."

"Florence’s service was impeccable! Advice was pragmatic and clear. Very happy with her, would always recommend her!" – Legal 500 2022

While her focus is on achieving commercial resolution of contentious issues where possible, Florence is an experienced litigator, who has acted in numerous Employment Tribunal, Court and arbitration proceedings. She is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution and has represented several clients in successful mediation of their commercial disputes.

Representative recent matters include:

Acting as a trusted adviser to numerous businesses and their founders on both day to day and business critical matters including investigations, disciplinary processes, negotiated exits - including of senior executives, directors and shareholders - and commercial disputes with third parties.

Regularly advising executives at the most senior levels on negotiated exits, including recently the longstanding chief executive of a major media company, the chief executive of a UK-wide hotel group and the managing director of a national restaurant chain.

Successfully negotiating numerous settlements of unfair dismissal and sex discrimination claims on behalf of employees in the legal, professional and financial services sectors, particularly for senior professional women. Recent clients include:

  • An investment banker complaining of being sidelined and bullied on her return from maternity leave.
  • A senior manager at a major accounting firm following allegations of bullying by an equity partner.
  • The sole female board member of an international telecommunications business.
  • An investment banker made redundant while on maternity leave amidst allegations that her employer had failed to comply with its obligation to offer her an available suitable alternative vacancy.
  • A senior sales executive alleged to have been seriously assaulted by her manager.

Advising a number of tech companies on major redundancy processes, including, in one case, the departure of the client’s founder.

Advising and representing a luxury goods business in an international contractual dispute involving proceedings in both London and Hong Kong.

Regularly advising senior employees and LLP members on the terms of proposed new contracts and on their pre- and post-termination rights and obligations to their current employers.

Advising a number of law firms on critical employment law issues including in the context of serious criminal and regulatory issues.

Throughout 2020 and 2021, regularly advising both businesses and employees on the legal implications of the Covid-19 pandemic, including furlough, role adjustments and home-working and redundancies, and the impact of the pandemic on parties’ commercial contractual rights and obligations.

In addition to her legal practice, Florence has taught contract law, tort and civil and commercial litigation at graduate level. She is committed to pro bono work, having served as a trustee of both the Royal Courts of Justice Citizens Advice Bureau and South West London Law Centres, and previously acted for clients facing the death penalty in the Caribbean and USA. She is also a committed supporter of both ethical business practices and the local business and charity community around Bellevue Law’s Wandsworth base.

"You have been such a calming, wonderful person to work with. I've really appreciated your insights and advice, and am glad that we've been able to come out with good results."

BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

University of Oxford

Graduate Diploma in Law; Legal Practice Course (Law Society Prize)

University of Birmingham

Postgraduate Diploma in International Law

University of Bristol

Florence Brocklesby

FLORENCE BROCKLESBY

Education
BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

University of Oxford

Graduate Diploma in Law; Legal Practice Course (Law Society Prize)

University of Birmingham

Postgraduate Diploma in International Law

University of Bristol

T. +44 (0)20 3432 2110
E. [email protected]

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Florence Brocklesby The Legal 500 – The Clients Guide to Law Firms
What they say
Client Testimonials

"Florence has been outstanding and a tower of strength and support."

"I was extremely impressed with the level of service and support provided by Florence."

"Florence has been amazing! She has gone above and beyond for me and I will be eternally grateful. "

"The service and support provided by Florence was exceptional. Professional, with vast experience to draw on and an impressive command of the law, Florence also provided support during an extremely testing time. "

"It was an extremely stressful time for me and Florence guided me through the process wonderfully - being efficient, honest, practical and supportive. "

"Thank you for all your help – you really gave me the confidence to stand up for myself and negotiate a great new role."

"Florence was one step ahead of the game at every turn. A forensic mind coupled with invaluable measured advice meant I was able to find a resolution very quickly and with as little disruption as possible. Most importantly she was an incredible support at a stressful time – a formidable ally with an incredible mind and lots of heart."

The Team

Our Lawyers

Susie Al-Qassab

Senior Consultant

Susie is a specialist employment lawyer who advises individuals and businesses on all aspects of employment law/HR-related matters.

HARRIET ATKINSON

Senior Consultant

Harriet is a Senior Consultant at Bellevue Law specialising in private client and tax work with particular expertise in probate and the administration of estates.

GEORGINA CALVERT-LEE

Senior Consultant

Georgina is a barrister, employment law and equality expert and experienced adviser to senior executives and employers.

RACHEL CLEMENTSON

Senior Consultant

Rachel is a specialist employment lawyer who advises employers on all UK HR-related matters, both contentious and non-contentious.

CHRIS CROFT

Senior Consultant

Chris is a solicitor and executive who has significant experience in the financial services sector.

LEIGH EDGAR

Senior Consultant

Leigh is a specialist employment lawyer who advises employers and employees on all UK HR-related matters.

IMOGEN FINNEGAN

Senior Consultant

Imogen specialises in employment law and trained at the leading international law firm Mayer Brown.

ELLIE GILBERT

Senior Consultant

Ellie is a senior employment solicitor who supports employees and employers in navigating complex employment law issues

SUSANNE HARTIGAN

Senior Consultant

Susanne leads our “Next Steps” fixed fee service for employees who need advice on settlement agreements.

EMILY KENDON

Paralegal

Emily joined us following her time with Bindmans LLP, where she specialised in Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury.

ALEXANDRA KEY

Senior Consultant

Alexandra specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration with extensive trial experience.

PAULINE McARDLE

Senior Consultant

Pauline specializes in employment law. She has acted for a wide range of employer and employee clients in the private and public sector.

ANJALI MALIK

Trainee Solicitor

Anjali is Bellevue Law’s trainee solicitor, and joined us in autumn 2022.

STEVE MELROSE

Senior Investigations and Compliance Lawyer

Steve has experience in conducting domestic and cross-border internal and government-facing investigations.

VICTORIA MISSELBROOK

Senior Consultant

Victoria has over 10 years' experience of advising both employers and employees on employment law.

HELEN MONSON

Senior Employment Lawyer

Helen has experience of the full range of employment law issues, including contentious and non-contentious employment matters.

ANN ROBSON

Senior Consultant

Ann is a senior employment lawyer with significant experience advising both employers and employees.

OLIVER STOKES

Senior Consultant

Oliver is a seasoned commercial litigator having spent over 10 years at Withers and Lipman Karas.

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