Speakers
Ceri Fuller
Session
Sir Robert and Ceri Fuller will outline when the various measures contained in the Employment Rights Act 2025 will come into force, what employers can do to prepare for the specific measures coming into force in April and October 2026 and what detail we are still waiting for via Government consultations and secondary regulations. They will also examine options to mitigate the increased legal risk arising from the right to unfair dismissal attracting unlimited compensation and applying to those with 6 months qualifying service on or after 1 January 2027.
Ceri has had experience of all aspects of employment law since qualifying as an employment lawyer over 25 years ago. She has particular expertise in handling equality and discrimination issues, with a focus on helping her clients manage their employees with disabilities (including neurodiverse conditions) and how they approach expressions of protected beliefs in the workplace which may offend others.
Ceri is also an experienced investigator having been instructed to carry out investigations into equality matters, allegations of harassment and bullying as well as wider culture issues. She has undertaken multiple investigations both under legal privilege and on an open basis.
Alongside her advisory practice, Ceri leads DAC Beachcroft's client training programme including webinars, podcasts, and face-to-face events. She regularly trains in- house legal teams to keep them up to date with, and help them respond to, case law and legislative developments, including preparing for the implementation of the government’s flagship Employment Rights Act 2025. She also regularly designs and delivers bespoke training on all aspects of employment law for managers, HR professionals, and Boards. She also sits on the Employment Lawyers Association's training committee and is regularly involved in ELA's responses to Government consultations on employment issues.
Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KBE KC is a member of the DAC Beachcroft Policy Unit. He is a practising barrister and is a Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at Harvard Kennedy School. Prior to his election to Parliament in 2010 for South Swindon, Robert was a criminal barrister and part time Crown Court judge.
During his fourteen years in the House of Commons, Robert served in the Conservative Governments of David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, becoming Solicitor General in 2014, Justice Minister in 2019 and then entering the Cabinet as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice from 2019 to 2021. He was Secretary of State for Wales in 2022, and Chaired the Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee from 2023-24.
As an influential backbencher, Robert was Secretary of the 1922 Committee from 2012-14 and most recently chaired an independent review into autism and employment, which culminated in a report published last year. This year, Robert has been appointed as the Third Church Estates Commissioner, with responsibility for Churches, Cathedrals and the drive to Net Zero amongst other things.
Robert writes regularly on constitutional law matters, current affairs and political history, collaborating on a number of books on these issues. He was knighted by His Majesty The King in 2022 for his political and public service.