Diarmuid Deeney, Solicitor, (Also admitted in Northern Ireland) Northern Ireland Services Manager and Settlement Agreements Manager)
After completing an LL.B. at Queens University Belfast, Diarmuid was awarded a scholarship from the Council of Europe to study at the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg. After study at the Legal Institute in Belfast he qualified as a Solicitor in Northern Ireland in 1983 and also was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1990.
Diarmuid has extensive experience of litigation in the High Court, County Court and Court of Appeal. He is an experienced tribunal advocate and has appeared in Employment Tribunals throughout the UK and the Employment Appeal Tribunal. A keen linguist Diarmuid has also conducted litigation in several EU jurisdictions and Switzerland. Diarmuid manages our Settlement Agreement team and also looks after Unionline business in Northern Ireland.
Maddalena Proctor, Employment Advice Line Manager
Maddalena has worked for Unionline for almost four years, she currently manages the Employment Advice Line team, the Civil Litigation team and the Wills and Probate Team.
Irfana Abbasi, Solicitor
Irfana is a Solicitor who specialises in Employment Law. Irfana has extensive experience in working with Trade Unions and both advising and representing Union members in relation to Employment Tribunal claims. As part of her role within the Employment Team, Irfana undertakes legal assessments, provides legal advice across a range of employment areas and complexities and litigates cases in the Employment Tribunal.
Lousise Brennan, Solicitor
Louise qualified as a solicitor in July 2010 following completing a law degree at the University of Durham in 2005 and the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law, York in 2006. She re-joined Unionline in June 2021 after previously working for the firm from 2015-2020. Louise also has experience of specialising in representing Claimants in employment law matters under the legal help scheme.
Louise currently carries out assessments of the merits of employment law cases and represents union members in Employment Tribunal claims in all areas of employment law including unfair dismissal and discrimination claims.
Nicola Roe, Settlements Team
Nicola joined Unionline in August 2016 after five years at a local law firm. Nicola has over 11 years’ experience in Employment law acting predominantly for Claimant’s in both contentious and non-contentious matters. Her experience includes advising Client’s on settlement agreements, unfair dismissal and discrimination matters.
Katie Brown, Junior Vetter
Katie joined Unionline in March 2021 as an Employment Legal Advisor, where she advised union members on all aspects of employment law. Katie has since been promoted to Trainee Junior Vetter and now carries out merits assessments of a range of employment law cases. Katie is also a member of our Settlement Agreements team and advises members on settlement agreements. Katie completed her undergraduate degree in Law at Nottingham Trent University. She then stayed in Nottingham to complete her Legal Practice Course and LLM. She moved to Sheffield in 2021 from her home town in Suffolk, and she currently lives in Rotherham. Her goal is to become a Solicitor.
Lauren Batty, Junior Vetter
Lauren joined Unionline in 2021 as an Employment Legal Advisor and advised on many areas of employment law. Lauren has since been promoted to Trainee Junior Vetter and now carries out merits assessments of various employment law cases and advises on settlement agreements.
Lauren originally studied Philosophy at Manchester Metropolitan University and then completed a Graduate Diploma in Law alongside a Masters at Sheffield Hallam University. She is now completing her Solicitors Qualifying Examinations with the aim to becoming a Solicitor.
Timothy Page
Trainee Solicitor
Tim joined Unionline in 2022 as a Legal Advisor within the employment team and was promoted to the role of Paralegal in 2023.
im’s responsibilities are wide-ranging and include advising officers of the Union in relation to employment law matters, assisting with litigation and creating and administering case files. Prior to joining Unionline, Tim enjoyed a successful career as a classical musician, performing with many of the UK’s foremost orchestras, opera and ballet companies as well as working to promote music within the education sector. Tim has been interested in law for many years. In 2021 he was awarded a scholarship from the University of Law to study a Graduate Diploma in Law which he successfully passed with commendation in 2022.
Tim has ambitions to qualify as a solicitor.
Ellie Williamson
Paralegal
Ellie is a Paralegal for the Employment Team. She joined Unionline as a Legal Advisor after graduating from the University of Lincoln in 2022 and was promoted to the Paralegal role in 2023.
Her main responsibilities at Unionline include assisting with litigation, setting up case files and allocating them amongst the team for assessment, providing employment law advice to members and officers of the Union, managing case lists and deadlines, managing the Employment Team’s general inboxes, and any other tasks that are required to assist the team. She deals with a variety of employment matters in varying complexities, such as unfair dismissal, discrimination, and unlawful deduction of wages. Ellie’s goal is to qualify as a solicitor, and she is currently studying the LPC with a joint Masters at the University of Law in Sheffield and is due to complete this in 2024.
Hasti Askani
Legal Advisor
Hasti joined Unionline in June 2023 starting as a Civil Litigation Legal Advisor. This was her first legal role following graduating from University with an LLB, LPC and Master’s in Law. Following a short period on the Civil department, she moved onto the Employment team where she advises on a variety of different areas of Employment Law.
Hasti first became interested in Employment Law after completing it as an undergraduate elective and then again as an LPC elective. Hasti is passionate about making legal support accessible for Union Members and finds it rewarding when she is able to help Members through challenging times.
Outside of work, Hasti enjoys spending time with her friends and family as well as cooking and baking.
Billie-Jo Brailsford, Legal Advisor
Billie-jo joined Unionline in May 2022 and graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with an LLB Law Degree.
Billie-jo is a legal advisor on the employment advice line and advises union members on their employment rights, such as unfair dismissal, and sets up case files for assessment. Billie-jo also advises on more complex matters such as interim relief.
Billie-jo has enrolled onto the LPC and will begin her studies in September.