Edward Cooper, Head of Department

Edward Cooper is a Partner and the National Head of the award winning Employment Department within Russell Jones & Walker. The employment team have won the 'Employment Team of the Year' Award at the Lawyer Awards 2006. (They have won also in 2000 and 2002).

Edward Cooper has been praised in The Legal 500 and in Chambers and Partners, where he is ranked first amongst claimant employment lawyers:

The “sensible and hard-working” national head Edward Cooper "knows how trade unions tick". Clients value his experience and see him as an "approachable and understanding" adviser."

"The firm is particularly noted for its record in discrimination cases and has one of the largest teams dedicated to employee and union representation... Edward Cooper leads the practice."

Edward has been a Partner at Russell Jones & Walker since 1988 and has a wide range of experience in all types of employment law. He has regularly advised on new and recent legislation and its impact on Trade Unions and other organisations and their members and has had key input in advising Trade Unions and other Associations on their policies in relation to employment legislation and law.

He has recently successfully defended the Teachers’ Union, NASUWT, in the case of P v NASUWT House of Lords; is acting in respect of an ECJ referral concerning the transfer to Training and Enterprise councils in the 1990’s as to the application of TUPE and is currently awaiting a decision from the European Court of Justice on an equal pay claim concerning the applicability of seniority in determining pay levels.

Edward is the author of sections regarding Trade Unions on a number of publications, particularly as they relate to Trade Union law.

Edward is a member of both the Industrial Law Society and the Employment Lawyer’s Association.

In his spare time, his interests comprise his family, playing the jazz saxophone and tennis. He takes an active part in a number of associations local to his home in south west London and is a school governor.

Edward is recommended in Chambers and Partners 2008:

"National head of the team, “éminence grise” Edward Cooper advises trade unions and staff associations on strategic issues, as well as acting for individual claimants. His heavy involvement in the setting up of the British Armed Forces Federation in 2006 is a testament to his profound knowledge of industrial relations. Recent highlights include Celtec v Astley & Others, a landmark victory in the House of Lords following an eight-year legal battle. Commentators say: “There is nobody better - he is incredibly intelligent and really knows what he’s doing.”

Employment Team of the Year 2006 (no sponsor)