Warren Moores is a senior associate at SAS Daniels, in the Employment Law, and HR Department. SAS Daniels is a leading Cheshire law firm, with offices in Congleton, Macclesfield, Chester and Stockport.

This is his week, involving some difficult cases, race preparation, seminars and a strange virtual meeting guest.

Monday

I review my diary to get prepared and organised for a busy week. I have two separate employment tribunal hearings today and Tuesday, so these are my focus for the first part of this week. 

I spend the morning reviewing the case and preparing my arguments, ahead of the final hearing by video at 2 pm. Gone are the days when all employment tribunal hearings are in-person, most are by video now. I am defending a client accused of not complying with their duties to an employee when their employment transfers from one company to another.

I feel like the hearing has gone well. During an interval, the other side's solicitor forgets to put himself on mute and started to explain to his client how the day was going, the arguments he was going to make, and I politely decide to inform him he is not on mute, after listening for probably longer than I should have done. He is unable to find the mute button and starts to swear…a lot. I find it hard not to laugh. The Judge has reserved Judgement so I will have to wait for the outcome to land in my inbox in the next 28 days.

After work, I relax by playing 5-a-side football with some friends.

Tuesday

I am back in tribunal today, again by video, so I spend the morning preparing. The hearing is to determine whether the former employee (making a claim against their former employer) has a 'disability'. This is the first step in any disability discrimination claim, the claimant must show they have a disability. I am acting for the employer who does not agree the employee is 'disabled'. If we win, the employee's claim will fail but I've advised the client he is not likely to win this argument. Unfortunately, I am right, and the hearing doesn't go our way.

It finishes nice and early so I feel like I've gained some time I was not expecting which leaves me feeling smug and able to catch up on some other urgent matters, and routine emails and handle some new enquiries. In the afternoon I arranged to speak to one of my clients to take their witness statement for a claim they are defending against a former employee arguing they were unfairly dismissed. I prepare a draft for the client and get this sent over.

In the evening, it is a visit to Aldi to do the week's shop. I feel I may be developing a cold so get the fire on and eat an entire Reece's Easter Bunny in one sitting.

Wednesday

We run bi-annual seminars for our clients and this week is our spring seminar programme. I arrive bright and early at our venue in Bollington at 7:30 am to welcome clients to our breakfast seminar. I love our seminar programme because it is a rare opportunity to see all our clients together in person. We start with a full breakfast before various presentations. This year's topic is mental health in the workplace and how employers can support employees with the current cost of living crisis.

My afternoon in the office is spent mainly on Zoom assisting a client with a complicated case of gross misconduct.

After hours I go for a long run to prepare for a 10k run on Sunday at Waters Wilmslow Running Festival. We have entered a corporate team for the event which I'm looking forward to. It is still light when I get outside and not too cold which gives me the feeling warmer and lighter nights are coming. 

Thursday

We have our second employment seminar in another location today. When we ask the delegates for any good tips, they have done to help employee wellbeing, one CEO explains on at least two occasions she has booked a goat (yes, a goat) to come to their virtual team meetings. I didn't see that coming but I am going to investigate further for research purposes.

After finishing I breathe a sigh of accomplishment and relief. After two employment tribunal hearings and two early 7 am starts I am completely shattered.

The afternoon is a mixture of advising an employee on his contract of employment and an employer on handling a sickness issue.

I also speak at great length with a new enquiry on what I can only describe as horrendous discrimination at work involving sex, race, age, and disability discrimination. I still struggle to put personal emotions aside when I see employees having suffered such extreme discrimination. There is nothing more satisfying than getting justice for a client who has been through something so horrific.

Thursday evening is gym night for me. I have recently qualified as a part-time fitness instructor and tonight I'm teaching a spinning class.

Friday

I love Fridays at work, there is always a good atmosphere in the office. The main bulk of my work is SAS Protect work. SAS Protect is our employment law and HR package. Employers pay a fixed fee and can call our team at any time for advice. I help with several issues over the course of the day from advising on recruitment all the way to redundancy and dismissals.

I move to something different in the afternoon as it is spent working on a commercial transaction to help our corporate team with the employment aspects of a business purchase due to be completed that day.

Around 4 pm, I gratefully accept an offer of a glass of prosecco. It's Fizz Friday in the office and we are also toasting a colleague's well-earned promotion. I finish the week feeling satisfied that my job gives me such variety and to top everything off… it's payday.

Find out more about SAS Daniels by visiting www.sas-daniels.co.uk

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