Alfred Weiss

Call 2006

weiss@exchangechambers.co.uk

"He is a robust and incisive advocate, an excellent communicator, approachable, and has deep understanding of the law. He asks the right question at the right time."

The Legal 500 2024
Photo of Alfred Weiss

  • Recommendations

    “Alfred is good on his feet and is a good cross-examiner. He gets to the issues at the heart of the dispute.”

    “Alfred is very calm, collected and cool under pressure.”
    Chambers and Partners 2024

    “An advocate who remains composed and unflappable under fire. He is extremely sharp, builds warm rapport with clients and is well respected by the bench.”

    “He is a robust and incisive advocate, an excellent communicator, approachable, and has deep understanding of the law. He asks the right question at the right time.”
    The Legal 500 2024

    “Very clever and a strong advocate. He knows where all the pieces fall into place.”

    “Alfred is affable, confident with clients and a really good team player.”

    “He has a really good pragmatic approach.”
    Chambers and Partners 2023

    “His advocacy is very compelling. He carefully analyses a situation and communicates in a clear and concise manner.”
    The Legal 500 2023

    “He’s an extremely dependable barrister, a safe pair of hands and good with clients.”

    “He’s a good all-rounder: good with clients, professional, but particularly, he is very bright.”
    Chambers and Partners 2022

    “His cross-examination is excellent – he cut the claimant’s case off at the knees. He is also very reassuring with clients.”
    Chambers and Partners 2021

    “He is very friendly and approachable and is excellent with clients. He is an incredibly skilled advocate who can make his point succinctly but forcefully.” “His written opinions are superb and he is a very capable legal mind with very good subject knowledge.”
    Chambers and Partners 2020

    “Concise, intelligent and good at cross-examination. He is also able to strike a rapport with clients and explain principles and processes in a straightforward, non-legalistic manner.” “His cross-examination is excellent and he is also very reassuring with clients.”
    Chambers and Partners 2019

    “Alfred is a very clear and concise barrister. Some Barristers will often tell you what you want to hear but Alfie does not do that. I have obtained written advice from him on commercial litigation matters which is exceptional.”

    “Alfred is a good tactician and is well liked by the judiciary, who listen to him with attention. A very bright junior.”
    The Legal 500, 2022

    “Alfred is thorough, with an excellent attention to detail. He has an impressive courtroom presence and excellent advocacy skills. He is likeable and easy to work with. Clients really like him and I have had nothing but positive reports on him from them.”
    The Legal 500, 2021

    “Very good in front of clients and in court.” “Can turn around even the most unlikely of cases.”
    The Legal 500, 2020

    “He has an excellent bedside manner with clients.” “He has amazing attention to detail.”
    The Legal 500, 2018/19

    “A highly knowledgeable barrister with a strong courtroom presence.”
    The Legal 500, 2017

    “I have instructed Alfie on a number of challenging professional negligence cases mostly involving Solicitors.

    He demonstrates an incisive mind, able to identify areas of breach of duty and separate out issues of causation.

    His style and approach is excellent and above all, he remains pragmatic and realistic, attributes which I believe are essential in this type of work.”
    Andrew Greenwood, Director and Solicitor, Emsleys Solicitors

    “Over the last few years I have instructed Alfie Weiss on numerous occasions.  He has demonstrated an excellent knowledge of the law and provided an efficient service with soundly drafted paperwork.  He has proved to be a combative advocate.  I was particularly impressed with his recent assistance on a complex Multi-Track professional negligence case on which he was retained to assist the claimant”.
    Nick Luty, Partner, Amstrong Luty Solicitors

  • Beyond the Bar

    Alfred spends his spare time with his wife and three young children, as well watching his football team as often as he can, and walking his dog.

  • Education

    • Churchill College, Cambridge – BA History (First Class, 2003)
    • Churchill College, Cambridge – Mphil History (2004)
    • Graduate Diploma in Law – The College of Law (Distinction, 2005)
    • Bar Vocational Course – The College of Law (Very Competent, 2006)
    • Lord Denning Scholar, Lincoln’s Inn

  • Appointments

    • Junior Counsel to the Crown (2012)

  • Memberships

    • North Eastern Circuit
    • Employment Lawyers Association
    • Northern Circuit Chancery Bar Association
    • Northern Circuit Commercial Bar Association

  • Publications

    The Blacklists Regulations, in The Local Government Lawyer, 6th April 2010

  • News

Employment

Alfie has a thriving and established employment practice that is recognised in the leading directories. In addition to being approached for his advisory, drafting and advocacy work in connection with substantial multi-day Employment Tribunal hearings and High Court litigation, Alfie has also been instructed by employers to act as the independent chair of internal appeal hearings.  He has been a member of the Attorney-General’s Panel since 2012 and has acted for many central government departments.

Alfie’s practice includes:

  • Discrimination
  • Public interest disclosure
  • TUPE
  • Unfair dismissal
  • Wages claims
  • High Court employment related litigation in particular restrictive covenants, breaches of confidentiality, fiduciary duties, database rights, bonus claims and breach of contract disputes
  • Discrimination in goods and services
  • Non-contentious advice on business re-organisations, internal policies, contracts of employment, restrictive covenants, TUPE
  • Advice to senior employees/directors on settlement agreements and on share options
  • Judicial Review of public bodies’ vetting procedures

Alfie is ideally placed to deal with the interplay between commercial, insolvency, employment law, and judicial review.  He particularly enjoys cases where there is an overlap between his practice areas.  He has a strong reputation for his excellent cross-examination skills, sharp intellect and commercially focused, client friendly approach.

Employment Cases

DISCRIMINATION

Successfully represented employee in 6- day failure to make reasonable adjustments claim against a private provider of probation services.

Successfully represented employee in indirect sex discrimination claim concerning flexible working arrangements.

Acting for the employer in a direct race discrimination claim in the world of science, listed for four -week hearing.

Acting for the employee in a disability discrimination claim listed for 8 days.

Acting for the employer defending a claim of direct age discrimination.

Acting for the employer defending a claim for harassment on the grounds of race.

Acting for a local authority defending a claim for disability discrimination brought by a councillor.

Acting for a public sector employer defending a claim for race discrimination and victimisation, listed for 10 days.

 

WHISTLEBLOWING

Acting for member of Fire Brigades Union in 8 day whistleblowing claim.

Acting for a public sector employer in the health sector in a 4-week whistleblowing claim.

Acting for a dental professional in a whistleblowing claim concerning health and safety related disclosures.

Acting for a local authority defending a whistleblowing claim brought by a senior local government lawyer.  Listed for 7 days.

Acting for a local authority defending a whistleblowing claim brought by an employee in its works department.  Listed for 7 days.

 

TUPE

Acting for one of two respondents in a claim brought by the unions for a protective award for failure to inform and consult.  Listed for 9 days.

Acting for Secretary of State for Health in TUPE case arising out of NHS re-organisation.

Advising limited company on TUPE implications of a business re-organisation with cross-jurisdictional issues.

Advising a local authority on TUPE implications of a re-organisation of housing services precipitated by an austerity drive.

 

UNFAIR DISMISSAL

Alfie has acted in a very many unfair dismissal claims.  A recent highlight includes a dismissal for gross misconduct in which Alfie secured a win for the Respondent at the Tribunal; from which the employee appealed to the EAT successfully on the basis of inadequacy of reasons; and in respect of which Alfie won the remitted hearing before the ET.

 

CIVIL AND HIGH COURT CLAIMS

Instructed in 8 day high court trial concerning alleged breach of non-competition covenants in contract of employment and misuse of confidential information.

Advising professional Rugby League team in respect of a claim for wrongful dismissal.

Acting for high earning City worker in unpaid bonus claim.

Advising senior employee moving to Premier League Football club on restrictive covenants.

Defendant High Court claim brought by employee shareholder seeking declaration that his dismissal as employee was unfair so as to remove him from the bad leaver provisions

Drafting proceedings for a breach of an agency worker agreement

 

JUDICIAL REVIEW

Advising and drafting proceedings for Judicial Review of the vetting decision in respect of a candidate to a police force.  The claim for JR was initially defended but later de facto conceded with the defendant paying the claimant’s costs.

 

APPELLATE CASES

Dibble v Falzon & Falzon t/a The Anne Arms UKEAT/0010/18/BA

Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs v Whiteley UKEAT/0581/12/MC

Bagley v Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust [2012] EqLR 634