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04 September 2025
Categories: Movers & Shakers , Profession
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Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

Freeths has appointed Melanie Stancliffe as partner in its employment team, further expanding its national offering. With 25 years’ experience advising senior professionals and international businesses, Melanie brings deep expertise in complex employment matters including senior exits, restrictive covenants, shareholder disputes and litigation.

Melanie has particular sector experience in banking, finance, technology, retail and logistics, and regularly advises owner-managed and cross-border businesses. A fluent French speaker, she also leads the HR Forum at the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce, supporting Anglo-French employment issues.

Rena Magdani, partner and national head of employment, pensions and immigration, said: ‘Melanie brings a wealth of experience and will strengthen our ability to support clients with sophisticated workforce challenges.’ She added that the appointment ‘reflects our continued investment’ in building one of the UK’s leading employment practices.

Stancliffe said she was ‘delighted to be joining Freeths’ employment team’ and ‘excited to deliver high-quality results’. Her arrival comes amid rapid growth for the firm’s employment department, which has expanded by 43% over four years, with eight new lawyers joining across seven offices.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

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Gibson Dunn adds employee benefits and executive compensation practice in London with partner Richard Surtees

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