'"A brilliant cross-examiner," Chris Quinn is described as "tenacious and terrier-like" but also charms clients with his sense of humour. He has had an impressive year: highlights include acting for the City banker in the much-publicised sexual orientation discrimination case Lewis v HSBC, and acting against [the union] in the equal pay case Allen v GMB'

Chambers and Partners 2008

Chris Quinn specialises in contentious high-value employment and commercial cases. Also described in the directories as "impressing on restrictive covenants and sensitive discrimination claims", his reputation has primarily been gained through his instruction in numerous well-known City disputes.

Chris combines a modern, client-focussed approach with advocacy skills developed since his Call to the Bar in 1992 in a wide range of cases including white-collar crime, tracing and dishonest assistance trials.

Professional Experience

Chris was recruited by Littleton Chambers in 2007 after a year in which as many as four of his cases were included in the IDS Employment Law Review's Cases of the Year.

His central expertise is in complex business disputes where the employment relationship is typically complicated by fiduciary and other directors' duties, shareholder rights and post-termination obligations. It extends from urgent injunction applications and tracing claims in the High Court to high-value City discrimination and whistleblowing claims in the Employment Tribunal.

Practice Areas and Case Law

Overview

Chris' recent and ongoing discrimination claims include:

Peter Lewis v HSBC, popularly known as "The Gay Banker" case

GMB v Allen Ongoing discrimination claim against trade union

SERCO v Redfearn in which he acted successfully against the BNP

Rains v CRE first contested age discrimination trial

It is in the nature of injunctive relief cases arising out of alleged breaches of restrictive covenants, fiduciary duties and garden leave cases that they rarely get to trial and that they often remain confidential. However Chris' trial experience in these and even more contentious areas such as tracing, allegations of dishonest assistance and constructive trust cases is extensive and includes:

Brink's Limited v Abu Saleh

UNCL v Johnstone and others

Utopia v Wright and others

Chris' whistleblowing practice frequently involves cases where allegations of criminal conduct including fraud are being made and where the factual background is exceedingly complex.

Chris' Sports law practice has involved appearances from the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Geneva to domestic tribunals including the FA Premiership Tribunal and the Rugby Football Union Disciplinary Tribunal.

The breadth of his practice is reflected by the number of reported cases in which he has appeared extending from judicial review proceedings to applications for injunctive relief in broadcasting cases.

Significant cases

Lewis v HSBC [2007]
The "Gay Banker" case.

GMB v Allen [ongoing]
Claim by female members against their Trade Union

Rains v CRE [2007] successful defence to one of the first age discrimination claims to get to a full hearing.

SERCO v Redfearn [2006]
Whether the BNP can rely on the Race Relations Act 1976.

Clarke v Redcar : Wilson & Stockton [2006]
Attempt to overturn COT3 conciliation agreement.

Bradford City AFC v Dunfermline [2005]
Court of Arbitration for Sport case distinguishing loan agreements from permanent transfers.

Kirton v Tetrosyl [2003]
The ambit of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 where supervening medical treatment.

R v Secretary of State for Employment ex parte Seymour Smith [2000]
A House of Lords' case concerning the correct statistical approach to determining disparate treatment under Article 141.

Nicholls v BBC [1999]
Successful application in the Court of Appeal for injunctive relief to prohibit broadcast of documentary relating to "supergrass" informant.

Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd v Paragon Entertainment [1998]
Dispute relating to intellectual property rights in Monty's Python's 1979 film 'Life of Brian'.

Brink's Ltd (formerly Brink's Mat Ltd) v Abu Saleh (No.2) [1995]
A successful defence in the major civil trial following the Brinks' heist in the mid-1980's.

Discrimination and equal pay

GMB v Allen [2007] IRLR 752 (EAT) ongoing sex discrimination claim against trade union in which Chris was successful at first instance

Rains v CRE [2007] successful defence of one of the first age discrimination claims to get to a full hearing.

Lewis v HSBC [2007]
Potentially highest value complaint of sexual orientation discrimination brought in England and Wales to date.

SERCO v Redfearn [2006] IRLR 744 (CA); [2006] ICR 1367
This highly controversial case involves the alleged ability of the British National Party to rely upon the Race Relations Act 1976.

Clarke v Redcar : Wilson v Stockton [2006] IRLR 324; [2006] ICR 867
Attempt to overturn COT3 conciliation agreement.

R v Secretary of State for Employment ex parte Seymour Smith [2000] ICR 244 (HL)
A House of Lords case turning on the correct statistical approach to
determining disparate treatment under Article 141.

Kirton v Tetrosyl [2003] ICR 1237 (CA)
The examination of the ambit of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995
when supervening medical treatment.

Knight v DSS [2002] IRLR 249 (EAT)
A case focusing on the enforcement of the “no secret communication rule” in
employment tribunals.

London Borough of Southwark v Jimenez [2003] ICR 1176 (CA)
A Court of Appeal case looking at guidelines on the approach to
allegations of bias by a tribunal.

Booth v Oldham MBC [2004] All ER (D) 366 (EAT)
This case focused on the onus on the employee to establish mental impairment for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Restrictive Covenant, breach of fiduciary duty and constructive trust/tracing cases

Utopia v Julian Wright and Others [2007] Successful claim at trial of breach of duty of fidelity

United Norwest Co-Operatives Ltd v Stephen Johnstone & ors (1998) LTL 2/10/98
Chris successfully defended a company director in a 90-day High Court trial involving allegations of a constructive trust.

Brink's Ltd (formerly Brink's Mat Ltd) v Abu Saleh (No.2) [1995] 1 WLR 1487
Chris appeared for one of the defendants in a major civil trial following the Brink's Mat heist in the mid-1980's.

General commercial litigation

Rosengrens Tann v Ayres [2001] EWCA Civ 997 (CA)
The duty of a trial judge to confine himself to the pleaded case.

Steuerman v DCL (2002) LTL 28/05/02
A pianist's right to special damages where building work interfered with practice time.

Linkin Park LLC v GB Posters and Publications Ltd (2003)
Chris successfully appeared for a music group in a dispute over the unlawful exploitation of their image rights in the UK.

Constitutional, public and media law practice

Nicholls v BBC [1999] EMLR 791 (CA)
The application for injunctive relief to prohibit the broadcast of a documentary, which featured a "supergrass" informant.

R v Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport ex parte Danish Satellite Television [1999] 3 CMLR 919
A challenge in the Court of Appeal to a Broadcasting Proscription Order.

Yule v Little Bird (2001) LTL 02/05/01
A film director's entitlement to recognition of moral rights and quantum meruit.

Python (Monty) Pictures Ltd v Paragon Entertainment (1998) EMLR 640
Intellectual property rights dispute over Monty Python's 1979 film Life of Brian.

Pretty Pictures v Quixote Films Ltd [2003] EWHC 311(QBD)
A case in the Queen's Bench Division examining the need for the ratification of a distribution agreement.

R v London Borough of Hackney ex parte Deutsch [2003] EWHC 2692
A challenge to a local authority parking scheme.

R v Royal College of Psychiatrists ex parte Gupta and Others [2006] EWHC 2186. Strike out of judicial review application on procedural grounds.

Other Injunctive relief cases

Horsnell v Boston Borough Council (2005)
Acting for a political party in an injunction case concerning electoral procedures.

Farsley Celtic FC v Football Association (2005)
An injunction case focusing on the decision of a sporting body