Ogier has been recognised as the leading firm for employment law services in both Jersey and Guernsey at the Corporate International Magazine’s 2010 Legal Awards. 

Ogier picked up the “Employment/Labour Law Firm of the Year in the Channel Islands” award which follows on from being named as 'Domestic Employment Law Firm of the Year in the Channel Islands' at the Magazine’s Global Awards last year.

Ogier’s Employment Team advises on all aspects of employment law in both Jersey and Guernsey and the team includes United Kingdom employment law specialists as well as locally qualified experts. 
Michael Little heads up the Ogier CI Employment team and is a specialist employment practitioner.  Having previously held the post of HR, Training and Development Director for the Ogier Group for five years, (and holding an MSc in HRM) he offers a very unique skill set of lawyer and HR professional  with vast experience of both islands employment law matters.
He commented “I am very pleased to see our employment practice making such a positive impact in both islands with this latest endorsement.  We have had a dedicated pan-island employment team in place for a number of years now.  More and more of our clients have a presence in both islands and really appreciate the seamless pan-island service we can provide.”
In 2010, Ogier’s employment  team dealt with a number of contentious and non-contentious employment issues across different industry sectors, in particular, finance and retail, and advised on employment related disputes of all kinds, including mediations, Royal Court and Tribunal proceedings. The team also advices regularly on regulation of undertakings, right to work and immigration issues.

Ogier also won what is arguably the most significant employment instruction seen in both islands in 2010 when Waitrose appointed Ogier as legal adviser in respect of their purchase of five substantial retail outlets.  Their entry into the Channel Islands required substantial employment law advice such as advising on the issue of new contracts of employment for over 480 existing employees, the hire of an extra 200 new recruits as well as advising on new staff handbooks and the establishment of many new processes.  Ogier’s Employee Benefits team has also advised Waitrose extensively in respect of their employee incentive scheme arrangements.

Matthew Thompson, Ogier’s Managing Partner in Jersey, said “Our employment practice has gone from strength to strength under the leadership of Michael Little.  Congratulations are due to him and the teams in both islands for the recognition they are earning for our employment services.”
Corporate Internationals took many weeks to assess the nominees and to finalise a shortlist for this award which included five other law firms.  A panel of expert judges scrutinised the information on each firm and used their own knowledge of the area of the law in selected regions to determine Ogier as the winner.