New employment law head for Steele Ford and Newton

Solicitor Krystal Savoie is to head up the new Employment Law department at Steele Ford and Newton.

The 31-year-old will hit the ground running by offering a series of free employment advice clinics for both employers and employees in September at Steele Ford and Newton’s offices in Nelson, Burnley, Bacup and Manchester.

Krystal said: “I am really looking forward to this new role and hope that my advice will prove helpful, whether about contract issues, redundancies, grievance or disciplinary processes.”

Krystal, of Blacko, completed a Law degree at the University of Sheffield before going on to the College of Law, York, to embark on a Legal Practice Course for 12 months.

While originally from Thornton Cleveleys, a job opportunity as a police station representative for the crime department of a Burnley solicitors’ practice brought her to the area in 2006.

She said: “It was a foot in the door and an opportunity I couldn’t refuse, so I moved to the area and haven’t looked back since.”

Krystal soon secured a training contract and specialised in employment and crime, before moving on to JGT, which has now merged with Steele Ford and Newton.

While successful in this and her following freelance role dealing with Very High Cost Criminal Cases, her heart remained in employment law and when the opportunity arose with Steele Ford and Newton to take this forward, she jumped at the opportunity.

Mark Irlam, Director, said: “The role will see Krystal acting for either the claimant or the respondent from the very start of a claims process through to representation at the final tribunal.

“Krystal’s expertise in employment law is now aided by the fact she is an accomplished advocate with experience of appearing on behalf of clients in serious criminal cases. These skills combined are a major advantage."

“But the idea is to help alleviate the needs for such processes by offering advice right from the outset in the hope that we can try avoid expensive and unnecessary court proceedings. “We will also be looking at contracts of employment, redundancy issues and amendments to contracts, all of which are important aspects to a business but often get left on the ‘to do’ pile.”