Caroline specialises in dispute resolution and litigation. Caroline’s work often arises from a fall-out between (i) employers or professional firms (LLPs and traditional partnerships) on the one hand and (ii) employees, shareholders and directors or LLP members and partners on the other. Caroline has led significant claims in the Employment Tribunal, EAT, High Court and appeal courts, as well as through alternative dispute resolution processes (mediation, arbitration and expert determination).
Caroline frequently acts for professional firms in connection with the expulsion, compulsory retirement or de-equitisation of members or partners and for individuals responding to such processes. She regularly advises on the strategic handling of partner conduct, performance issues, discrimination and whistleblowing complaints. Much of her work is focused on the professional and financial services sectors. Caroline advises on complex investment management and private equity structures, often in connection with disputes concerning bonus, incentives (carried interest and other entitlements) and the effect of leaver provisions.
In the Employment Tribunal and EAT, Caroline has acted for a number of employees in the insurance and financial services sectors claiming automatic unfair dismissal for making protected disclosures about breaches of legal and regulatory obligations. Caroline has also spoken about whistleblowing on television.
Caroline regularly advises on business protection cases, providing strategic advice in relation to team moves, restrictive covenants and duties of confidentiality. She has significant experience defending and enforcing such provisions, including by obtaining and defending interim injunctions.
Caroline has dealt with a broad range of disputes, acting for corporate clients, professional firms, senior executives and partners. Her experience includes director and shareholder disputes, LLP and partnership disputes (including unfair prejudice actions), warranty claims, breaches of fiduciary duty claims, civil fraud claims, contract disputes and claims for misrepresentation, mistake and professional negligence (recently acting for a corporate client in claims involving specialist employment law work by a major law practice).
Caroline provides straightforward advice, which always takes account of the commercial goals of the client. With extensive experience of acting for both employers and partnerships and LLP members, partners and senior executives, Caroline understands the pressures on both sides. She puts the client at the heart of each recommendation and focuses on achieving the optimum outcome in a cost effective manner, while safeguarding reputation and managing financial exposure.
Caroline is recommended as a Global Leader in Labour and Employment law in Who’s Who Legal for 2019, in recognition of Fox & Partners’ leading position in the profession for partnership and employment law. She was included in Management Today’s prestigious 35 women under 35 list in 2018.
Caroline has contributed to a recently published book: Special Report on Partner Retirement in Law Firms: Strategies for Partners, Law Firms and Other Professional Services. It is the first book of its kind, providing practical advice to retiring partners from a multi-disciplinary team.
Appointments, Associations and Memberships
Caroline is a committee member of the London Litigation Solicitors Association (representing over 2,000 members) having been Past President of the Junior LSLA. She is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and Association of Partnership Practitioners (former Up and Coming Committee member). Caroline has taken an active role in working groups responding to consultations affecting access to justice. Most recently, she co-ordinated the LSLA’s response to the consultation launched in November 2017 in relation to proposals to radically reform the document disclosure process in the courts and participated in a series of panel discussions to promote and collect feedback on the proposals, together with senior members of the judiciary and profession.
Caroline moved to Fox & Partners to expand its dispute resolution capability in June 2011 from the dispute resolution team of a large commercial firm in Leeds. She became a partner in 2017. She has over 14 years’ experience in dispute resolution.
Client testimonials
“Caroline provided me with invaluable legal advice and expertise in a long and highly contentious financial dispute. Caroline was unfailingly attentive and responsive. She is very hard working, and has an excellent understanding of complicated issues, a very thorough approach, and an undeterred, committed attitude that instilled in me confidence, even during the most difficult moments one inevitably experiences during a legal dispute. Caroline is not only a first class lawyer, but a truly empathetic and supportive individual. It was a pleasure to work with her.”
“I would like to thank you for giving me the clear impression that my case is important to you… your genuine empathy along with professionalism and competence is heart warming”
“I wanted to thank you personally for being there for me from the very outset of this ordeal. You [Caroline] have been a fantastic lawyer. Not only were you able to digest huge amounts of information and make it understandable to me, but you have been very kind and honest in your assessments and recommendations along the way… you are a fantastic professional … you put the client at the heart of each recommendation. You have a unique gift of being able to couple fantastic legal expertise with kindness and empathy”.
“Caroline Field leads the team with effortless elan. She is very tough and commercial and ensures that her clients do not fight cases without coming out on top at the end of it.” (Legal 500 2024 – Partnership)
“Caroline Field is an employee’s best friend and an employer’s nightmare. She gets the results employees can only dream about.”
“She is amazing with me as well as negotiating with opposing counsel with substantial skill. Her advice and engagement is invaluable.” (Chambers 2024 – Senior Executive)
“Caroline is tactically very astute and manages to be very straight-speaking and yet also a great team player who is excellent with clients. She is someone to have on your side.”
“She is very incisive and has a knack of seeing issues that cut right to heart of the dispute, as well as being sensitive to the subtle knock-on implications which can arise.” (Chambers 2024 – Partnership)
“Caroline is just fantastic – a genius of a lawyer. Any client would be lucky to have her on their side.” “She is encyclopaedic in her knowledge of partnership law and the go-to person in this area.” “She’s extremely good with clients, really knows the area and is good at managing work.” “Caroline has a very rounded approach. She is also very balanced and focused on client interest. She’s a very measured litigator.” (Chambers 2023 – Partnership)
“Caroline has a very rounded approach. She is also very balanced and focused on client interest. She’s a very measured litigator.” (Chambers 2023 – Senior Executive)
“Caroline Field is far more than an excellent lawyer – she is a fount of emotional insight and tactical wisdom. She saved my bacon.” (Legal 500 2023 – Partnership)
“I have the greatest respect for Caroline – she is a partnership expert.” “She is a top operator.” “She’s really talented and a driving force at the firm.” (Chambers 2022 – Partnership)
“The team are compassionate, hugely motivated and very knowledgeable. You feel listened to and supported…. Caroline Field was always available and very flexible. The warmth they showed stood out to me.” (Legal 500 2022 – Senior Executive)