Emma Sole is an experienced and highly regarded barrister. Since joining Farrars Building in 2007 she has developed a strong and balanced civil practice and is recognised for her careful preparation, strategic thinking, and approachable yet robust advocacy.
With twenty years of specialist experience, Emma has become particularly noted for her dual expertise in employment law and personal injury, two areas in which her knowledge overlaps to the benefit of her clients.
In employment law, Emma represents both employees and employers in a full spectrum of matters including unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing and complex contractual disputes. She is regularly instructed in high-value and sensitive cases, with particular expertise in restraint of trade and fiduciary duties. Emma’s advisory and drafting work in Customer Systems Plc v Ranson [2011] EWHC 3304 (QB) highlights her capability in high-stakes litigation and sophisticated commercial employment issues. Recently, Emma has become particularly interested in issues surrounding anonymity and reporting restrictions, having represented the claimant in A v Choice Support [2023] EAT 18 in which the EAT was asked to make permanent anonymity orders for the parties and an intervenor.
Alongside this, Emma has built a substantial personal injury practice. She acts for Claimants and Defendants across the full range of PI claims, including road traffic accidents (with significant experience in credit hire issues), employer’s liability, public liability, and cases involving allegations of fraud. Her pragmatic, detail-driven approach ensures clarity and confidence in contested and evidentially challenging matters.
Emma is uniquely placed to deal with personal injury issues that arise in an employment context. Whether advising on workplace accidents, stress-related injury claims, or disputes where medical evidence intersects with employment rights and obligations, her combined expertise enables a seamless and strategically coherent approach.
Ranked as a ‘Leading Junior’ in Employment Law by the Legal 500 since, Emma brings insight, balance and strong advocacy, securing effective outcomes for those she represents in an accessible way for all types of clients.
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Commercial
Emma advises on commercial matters and has a keen interest, in particular, on restraint of trade and fiduciary duty matters. Emma will aim to provide practical and commercially sensible advice as well as being able to draft relevant Court documents and advocate for clients in hearings.
Employment
Emma specialises in employment law and her clients include an array of people, from high-level employees in the public sector to global companies and much smaller businesses and start-ups. Over the years Emma has successfully made use of the Employment Tribunal judicial mediation scheme, for the benefit of both Claimant and Respondent clients.
Emma also often speaks at employment law seminars for professional clients and is available and happy to assist with providing talks on specified employment law topics as requested.
Personal Injury
In the field of personal injury, Emma’s extensive practice involves Employers’ liability, tripping and slipping cases and road traffic accident claims. The experience of working in employment law and personal injury provides Emma with an invaluable overlap of knowledge and expertise; which is put to particular use in work-place stress claims which often cross over with disability discrimination/reasonable adjustment cases. Emma also has an interest in both pursing and defending claims alleged to be either fundamentally dishonest and/or fraudulent and has persuaded Courts to make enforceable costs orders against Claimants.
Noteable Cases
Education & Qualifications
- BVC Exhibition 2004, Inner Temple.
- BVC, Inns of Court School of Law, London.
- BA Jurisprudence, Trinity College, Oxford.
Appointments & Memberships
- Employment Lawyers Association.
Personal Interests
In a previous life Emma’s main hobby was playing hockey, for which she received a Blue at Oxford. After University Emma played for Southgate and later Canterbury HC. Whilst she has now hung up her stick, she now gets her sports-fix watching her two daughters play in football cricket and netball. Food also plays a key role in Emma’s life, her husband is a chef who makes charcuterie on a farm, and, during the weekend, one or more of the family can usually be found at a Kentish famer’s market selling the product.
To instruct Emma Sole or obtain more information
Our clerking team, led by Chief Executive & Director of Clerking, Paul Cray, will be pleased to help with any enquiry regarding Emma Sole, including suitability, availability, and fees. The team offers responsive, commercially focused, and highly professional support.