It has taken me a while to write my testimonial for Mark following the conclusion of my employment tribunal back in October 2021, because I’ve struggled to capture in words exactly what Mark has done for me. It is way beyond anything I could have hoped for or expected.
Mark took on my case when I was at my lowest point having fought my way through months of bullying at the hands of my school headteacher. I was then placed on a false management action plan under the guise that I was a failing teacher, when in actual fact I was a whistle-blower she wanted to silence. I raised a grievance which unsurprisingly was not upheld so I appealed the outcome. At every stage my concerns about pupil safety and provision for children with special needs and disabilities were swept under the carpet. First by the senior leadership team at the school, then by the governors and finally by staff right to the top of the Local Authority. What’s more, the people I thought I could report these grievances to not only covered it up, but actually participated in the bullying and harassment. Through working with Mark, I soon learned that this behaviour is commonplace.
I attended my appeal hearing where the bullying and intimidation escalated and predictably the whole thing was a whitewash, and my appeal was not upheld. My mental health was at an all-time low. I was broken when I first picked up the phone to Mark having parted ways with my union. I feared my fragile mental health would put Mark off taking my case on. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
From the very beginning, Mark supported me not just practically with taking my case to tribunal, but also emotionally. Mark was always available at any time to talk to me when I became worried, anxious or just got myself in state – which was quite often! Mark always knew the right thing to say to me, reassuring me that their latest dirty trick was just par for the course and not to allow them to get to me.
On a practical level, Mark took the time to explain the legal processes to me and aspects of employment law. This was so important to me, because I needed to understand the process and feel I had some control over my own case. It became a working partnership and Mark was incredibly patient with me while I learned the ropes. I was the expert in my own case and Mark was guided me through the tribunal process and employment law.
Mark helped to manage my case and responded to the significant number of emails sent from the Local Authority’s legal department. Without Mark, I would have been totally overwhelmed with the volume of emails and the threats. It was their intention to overwhelm and frighten me.
He responded to every single one on my behalf and attended all my preliminary tribunal hearings. It was a huge amount of work for Mark, but he did it expertly!
Having submitted my original tribunal claim before I contacted Mark, he had a big job of convincing me to reduce my list of issues down from the original 90 issues! I was so angry over everything that they had done to me that I found it difficult to remove the legally weaker claims. It was a huge learning curve, but Mark explained things over and over again to me until I understood it. As a result, I ended up with a strong claim, ready to go to tribunal.
My tribunal was scheduled to be 12 days long! Mark represented me throughout the tribunal hearing, cross examining the respondents’ witnesses (they called 10!) and conversing with their barrister on my behalf. Mark supported me day and night through the two-week hearing which culminated in a settlement on day 8. The whole experience was incredibly stressful, but very positive and hugely cathartic. His expert cross-examination meant the truth finally came out in court.
Without Mark, I wouldn’t have made it to tribunal to have my say – and boy did I have my say. Mark offered so much more than any lawyer or barrister could offer. It wasn’t a client / representative style relationship, but a partnership. Mark knew my case inside and out in a way that many lawyers or barristers don’t. He was passionate about my case – it wasn’t just a job to him. I’m convinced this is the reason I had such a positive outcome. I went from someone who was broken and thought I would never be able to work again. My life is now back on track and my confidence is rebuilt and this is all thanks to Mark!
Thank you Mark!
Mrs Tash, January 2022
There are times in life as an adult where you find yourself in unchartered waters. Employment law is; and can be a daunting prospect when you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having to fight for your rights. It is also an extremely emotional and stressful situation when you feel you are having to challenge your employer on what your rights are as an individual.
When you find you have exhausted all avenues and your employer is not listening, or willing to listen to your grievance. This can feel like you are a very small fish in an extremely big sea. Particularly when your employer has ready access to professionals within HR and their legal teams. Their aim is to mitigate any damage to their company and for want of a better statement, to “wear you down and make you go away”.
This is where I found myself and I can tell you, it is a crossroads where you either walk away as they wish, or you find someone like Mark who is the light at what feels like a very dark tunnel.
Mark’s calm demeanour, patience and wealth of knowledge was a breath of fresh air. He listened to the facts, was not at any point phased by the ‘jargon’ thrown out by my company and could see the weak points in their alleged case.
Trust me, this is not an easy process to go through, and for the most I have found that sadly a large proportion of individuals do exactly as they wish and walk away without truly knowing their rights as an employee. Employment law works both ways, to protect both parties and to be exercised when the employer is not fulfilling their duty of care to you as an employee.
I cannot express or reiterate from my own personal experience of this process that you MUST stand up for your rights. This is not only for your own peace of mind, but for those colleagues who could also potentially fall into this unfortunate position in the future and for those who have already, sadly walked away.
Mark was always at the end of the phone when the next round of communications or paperwork was received, or just for re-assurance on those days when you feel a little battle worn. If he was not available, he was always on hand to message and let you know when he would be, which was always within a few hours. He will email you regularly with any updates, or in response to any questions you may have.
The time-lines dictated by ACAS and Employment Tribunals need to be considered and Mark was always there ensuring these were not missed and your rights under this protected. Because sometimes those sneaky employers will endeavour to drag out their internal processes in an attempt to build their case that you didn’t lodge your case in time when, and if it goes to a Tribunal.
Mark’s fees are in my opinion extremely reasonable, in fact I feel he sells himself a little short on this at times (sorry Mark but you do). But from knowing him during this process, I also know it is from him having been where I found myself and you probably are now. There will be no surprises and you will know exactly where you are with budgeting before any work commences. Mark makes it clear he is not a solicitor, but what he doesn’t know about legislation is in my opinion alongside any professional solicitor’s knowledge.
My case was due to bullying, harassment and victimisation on a scale that was starting to affect my mental health. I am so pleased I found Mark and even happier to share that, with his assistance that my employer eventually settled prior to going to Tribunal. More importantly, they are now aware of the culture that had started to become the ‘norm’ and made relevant adjustments to their training and my work environment. The settlement was only part of the remedy, the principal that this behaviour was not acceptable was always my aim.
What have you got to lose, you have come to this page for a reason and picking up the phone, or dropping Mark an email could be the start of your journey to finding your own remedy and peace of mind?
Again Mark, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your hard work and for taking on my case as if it were your own.
Now go get em.
Mr S Rani, October 2021
“I was introduced to Mark Harris by someone who was already working on my case against my employer at the time. My initial grievance was raised in April 2020 for disability discrimination, race discrimination, whistleblowing, and finally unfair constructive dismissal.
From the first time I spoke to Mark in August 2020 until my case was concluded in February 2021, Mark stood by me and reassured me every step of the way. When my employers would respond to any of the correspondence in a threatening and abusive way, Mark would give me assurance and guidance to fight on my long battle with my employer. I had already raised a grievance against my employer and appealed against the grievance outcome. Everything I raised was not upheld and put “under the carpet” so to speak.
Due to his experience in this field, he knew exactly what to focus on and where the employer’s weaknesses could be found. By engaging with Mark, it allowed me to focus on my own goals and move forward in my life as he took away my stress and anxiety. Mark is flexible and was very easy to talk to. He gave you enough time to express yourself and listened to you and gave you the appropriate advice that you needed. He went through my case and he drafted every document for me.
He also advised throughout my Preliminary Hearing and settlement negotiation, including advising me on how to deal with lawyers that were very aggressive and rude. He actually helped me to gain confidence in myself which allowed me to stand up to my employer at Preliminary Hearing. I believe that I would not have gone this far without Mark’s support and guidance. Just one thing I did not expect this to go on for nearly 11 months before coming to conclusion. The one thing that I learned in this process was “Faith and Patience”. I had faith that I was right in raising my grievance and I should not be afraid of anyone or anything and I had to develop patience. I would recommend Mark Harris to anyone who is thinking of raising a grievance against their employer as this will be the best investment you will make for yourself and peace of mind.
My case has now been been concluded, and feel vindicated for raising these issues in the first place. Mark has been so supportive throughout and I cant thank him enough. ”
Ms S, April 2021
“I was browsing on the internet in despair to find any help. I was in deep depression and anxiety, I was scared, afraid. The same time I understood that what my employer used against me was not right and I was trying to fight. Scared work colleagues have been discouraged to get involved, others have been dismissed or resigned and this left just me.
Due to an ongoing negative situation at work, I finally decided to raise a grievance against my employer. I then plucked up the courage to get some professional advice about my situation, and Mark came highly recommended so I enlisted his help.
From my very first conversation with him, back in July 2017, I felt reassured that Mark understood the predicament I was in and this gave me confidence to follow through with the grievance process. He is very knowledgeable about employment law and your rights as an employee, and was always one step ahead of my HR Department, predicting how they would behave and react, using it to our advantage. He knew exactly what evidence and issues to focus on, and used impeccable timing to deliver the maximum effect, to make sure my case was as strong as it could be. Mark saved me days of my own time, and allowed me to focus on trying to stay positive throughout what was a very difficult time.
Mark is very flexible and often took out of hours calls from me, if I was worried or had questions about next steps etc, and I cannot tell you how reassuring and supportive he was. He is also great value for money and is very affordable, so I would really recommend using Mark, rather than using an expensive employment lawyer. He drafted everything for me, from my very first letter, right through to detailed and organised evidence bundles. Some of my documents were hundreds of pages long but this never phased him, and he somehow managed to remember the nitty gritty details of my case and would be able to effortlessly refer to evidence that even I had forgotten about. He also advised throughout the settlement negotiations, and I couldn’t be more relieved at the outcome. My case concluded in March 2018 and I firmly believe it would not have been such a positive outcome if I had tried to tackle the grievance process on my own.
Now my case had been resolved, I am able to move on, comfortable in the knowledge that I was treated unfairly and that justice was done. I can’t recommend Mark highly enough. ”
Kerry, April 2018
“I met Mark at a time when I was heading no where with my grievance hearing with my school. All efforts to have justice done, was been frustrated by my school.
Speaking to Mark on that Sunday morning at the time I did was the best decision I made in my legal battle against my employer. I was determined to fight my cause. Mark assured me that my grievance had merits and was willing to assist me in taking it to court if my school chose not to resolve the issues informally.
Mark was very professional in dealing with my case during throughout and his approach and care increased my confidence and self belief in the merits of my case. On two occasions I phoned Mark to indicate that I intended to withdraw my claims, but Mark spurned me on. Mark was very accommodating in receiving my telephone calls even at odd hours when I needed some advice.
Very remarkable also was the fact that, Mark was reasonable with his charges, and never for once did I feel I was being cheated or overcharged.
After two years of legal battle, I am extremely grateful that the case ended up in my favour as we came to a successful settlement. Mark has not just been a representative who has excellent knowledge of how to get the best deal for his clients, he has also become a good friend, and I will not hesitate to recommend Mark to anybody. Mark is simply the best out there!!”
Emmanuel, May 2018
“When taking on Goliath, at my peril, I made the mistake of trusting my employer’s Human Resources Department and Occupational Health personnel. Never again, Mark helped me to understand these departments’ duty of care was not to me, but my employer. Mark is extremely patient and listened and understood very quickly what was going on. When my employment problems escalated into the Tribunal arena, Mark steered me through what was the most difficult fight of my life. He did not flinch when my employer instructed a barrister to represent their position, but rather, took on the fight on my behalf. His knowledge bank of employment law and his experience is something I am so thankful for, as this fight was not something I was not equipped to deal with on my own. Mark’s ability to strategise meant he anticipated at every step what was needed, and this put me on an equal footing to that of employers. Genuinely Mark went beyond the call of duty so many times that I cannot thank him enough for what he has done for me. Thanks Mark.”
Oliver, March 2017
“If you are thinking of taking advantage of a grievance procedure at your place of employment don’t even dream of writing the first letter on your own. Please, please solicit the advice of Grievance at Work as you can be assured you will have no clue as to what you’ll be up against.
Even though I can’t go into details about my case which involved racial discrimination and harassment, I was shocked at the extent my employer would go to make you look silly and as if it’s “all in your head” so to speak. Take on board advice. Every next move the company would have made against me was predicted right on the money. You will also get constant assurance and help every step of the way.
Majority of cases are settled out of court but you have to demonstrate keen tenacity to employment law which unfortunately most of us including solicitors have very little clue about. Mark has the knowledge and experience and genuinely cares about you.
Additionally, if he feels your case is weak and you have poor evidence to support your claim, he will honestly let you know before taking any payments or will simply advise you how to stay in your job and gather the necessary evidence.
I always felt I had an ally and a friend on my side the moment I first contacted Grievance at Work. Thank you Mark.”
Paula, October 2017
“Mark helped us to understand what a grievance actually meant and why we raised a grievance at work. Our employer did not deal with our grievance fairly or appropriately, instead they contributed a lot of stresses to us because we raised grievances. We remember we first contacted Mark who is extremely patient and listened to us attentively and understood us very quickly and what was happening with us at work. He quickly diagnosed the problem and came up with a plan on how to protect us at work. Mark has vast experiences and knowledge of dealing with Grievances and Disciplinary Action and he helped us to understand the rights we have as an employee. He has even directed us what is SAR meant how would we be able to attain one? I am really thankful to mark to help and guide us in these dark time. I was devastated and depressed as it was something I have never experienced before at work. However, Mark equipped us to pick our battles and fight with my employer and untill the end. I cannot thank him enough.
thank you mark!”
Jin Yan and Alexandria, Dec 2017
“From my first tentative phone call to him right through to the successful resolution of my matter Mark Harris was a source of great knowledge of the world of grievances at work and a huge personal support. He guided me through the legal complexities that I encountered and translated the jargon into English which I could understand. He understood how difficult it is to bring a grievance and see it through to its conclusion, which in my case took over a year. Mark used great humour and warmth to coax me through the worst days. He can quote cases for comparison, is incredibly thorough and well-informed, has an amazing memory for everything that has happened and manages to make sense of what, in my case anyway became a very complex and large file.
Whenever I spoke to Mark I felt I had his undivided attention. He attended hearings with me and spoke on my behalf as well or better than any lawyer, I’m sure. But when it comes to the bill he’s no lawyer – his services are extremely reasonably priced to the extent that sometimes I felt bad that I wasn’t paying more. In this hard bitten world, it was wonderful to deal with a person who was genuinely concerned for my situation and would go out of his way to be the best help possible. I thank you very much Mark and wish Grievance at Work the success it deserves.”
Sue, Dec 2016