EELA – Conference Programme

Wednesday, 11 June 2025

City Walking Tour

Optional pre-conference guided walking tour of ‘the City’, starting at Tate Modern and ending with ELA-hosted drinks (see ‘Tours’, booking required, also open to ELA members).   

ELA-hosted drinks

Pre-conference drinks hosted by UK ELA for ELA and EELA members

Bank of England (pub), 194 Fleet St, EC4A 2LT (booking required) 

Thursday, 12 June 2025

Registration opens

Royal Lancaster Hotel, W2 2TY 

Greenwich by river boat (optional)

Optional additional tour, see ‘Tours’ 

Afternoon tea (all)

Royal Lancaster Hotel, meet friends for a cup of tea, before setting off on historic walking tour together 

National representatives meet (by invitation)

Royal Lancaster Hotel

Meet for tea together before setting off early on historic walking tour, together with other national representatives. 

Historic walking tour (all)

Guided walking tour, Royal Lancaster Hotel to Westminster Abbey Gardens,, a route including Hyde Park, Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament and the Supreme Court, see ‘Tours’. 

EELA’s Welcome Drinks

Westminster Abbey Gardens (with cover in event of rain)

Dress: bright, comfortable eg flowery dress, batik/Hawaiian shirt, stripey blazer

Bus transport available from Royal Lancaster to Westminster Abbey Gardens for those unable to join historic walking tour (limited numbers).  

Friday, 13 June 2025

Conference opening, welcome and keynote speech

Royal Lancaster Hotel (all panels in Royal Lancaster Hotel)

Welcome: Anna Jerndorf (EELA Chair), Dusan Nitschneider (Deputy Chair), Juliet Carp (Board Member for England & Wales)

Keynote speech: Baroness Hale of Richmond, former President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom 

Opening plenary panel: Democracy & employment law

Royal Lancaster Hotel

Panel discussion on the role of employment law in supporting democracy

Including eg:

• interaction between collective employment laws and democracy, eg rights to protest and strike

• role of international standards eg ECHR

• codes of conduct and standards in public life

• importance of the judiciary and effective remedies 

Option 1: Restructuring

Collective dismissals – what does the EU Directive 98/59 really say, and what is best practice?

What modern transformation and restructuring tools are now available?  A practical and ‘hard law’ discussion of aspects relevant to employment lawyers’ practice. 

Option 2: Football 

From Bosman to Diarra – free movement of workers and FIFA/UEFA rules. The effects of recent judgments for football and other sports. 

The rules governing contractual relations between football players and clubs have been subject of recent debate. The Bosman case (C-415/93) in 1995 shook professional football. As a result, no transfer fees could be charged for players at the end of their contracts. Consequently, changes were made to the transfer system. In Bernard (C-325/08) the Court however justified restrictions on free movement for out-of-training-contract players and granted exception to the prohibition on age discrimination in EU law. Now that system has again come under scrutiny in Diarra (C-650/22). The CJEU has found that FIFA regulations that impose severe financial penalties and restrictions on the registration of players restrict the freedom of movement of football players and, by their very objective, restrict competition and infringe cartel prohibition. In Royal Antwerp Football Club (C-680/21) the ECJ held that rules of UEFA and the national football association on the minimum number of home-grown players in teams could also be contrary to EU law, specifically competition rules and the free movement of workers. What effect will these decisions have on the free movement of football players? Can we envisage that the current transfer rules in football will need to be dramatically altered? Are rules on home-grown players still enforceable? Do other obligatory rules of sports bodies foreseeably violate the fundamental rules of free movement of workers and competition law? 

Option 3: Bullying 

Under pressure. BULLYING at work. How to Spot it and steps to Stop it in today’s global workplaces
A Workshop-style discussion on new and evolving types of bullying and practical strategies for dealing with it
In today’s increasingly global workplaces, bullying has evolved. While many employers recognize the importance of addressing such allegations, from a cost, PR and culture perspective, cultural and intergenerational diversity gives rise to new challenges. Behaviours once overlooked, such as unintentional conduct, can create serious issues and the pressure on employers to act swiftly to increasingly complex issues has never been greater. How do you handle “upward bullying” where managers are targeted? Or address biases which may misinterpret behaviour by women or people of colour as bullying? This workshop, grounded in real world experience, will provide practical strategies to help SPOT and STOP bullying in the modern workplace.

This workshop will include:

• How to recognize bullying? Hidden definitions of bullying, including “upward bullying”; differences between bullying and harassment;
• How cultural values and bias may impact perceptions of bullying and reporting;
• How unbalanced power or dysfunctional relationships can escalate into conflict and bullying;
• Bullying through social media, public reprimands and employer’s duties;
• Strategies businesses can use to address these issues and promote respect and inclusion. Plus, why a one-size fits all approach may not work for multinational businesses.

Option 1: EWCs 

How do EWCs and other works councils and representative bodies work together in practice?  How do current practices fit within the framework of ‘hard law’? 

Option 2: Transparency 

A broader look at transparency in the workplace 

To include eg:

• Pay Transparency Directive

• Some aspects of ESG 

Option 3: Employment law and ‘the City’ 

How does the City work?  Your chance to ask questions of, and about, the people who do this kind of work.  

A practical discussion about the context for M&A and financial services work and the way the City of London interacts with other jurisdictions.  Your chance to ask questions of, and about, the people who do this kind of work. 

Option 4:  LGBTQ+ diversity – state of play 

A practical workshop-style discussion 

Buses depart for Guildhall

Following short break to change for dinner at Royal Lancaster, guided bus transfer to Guildhall 

Gala dinner

London’s Guildhall (black tie)

Drinks, Crypts

Dinner, Great Hall

Dancing, Crypts 

Saturday, 14 June 2025

08:00-09:00

Optional exercise in Hyde Park 

Plenary 1: Developments in EU case law

With Catherine Barnard 

Plenary 2:  Conflict and work

We live in times of increased political violence and unrest – connected to ideology, nationality and territory.  While the business community might prefer to be politically neutral, some choose not to be.  Nonethless, all employers must deal with the impact of conflict on the interaction with and between their employees.

We will hear from those working in Northern Ireland about their experiences of managing political discrimination and balancing ECHR freedoms with workplace expression.  We shall also hear from colleagues working in countries going through political upheaval and unrest at present.

Discussion will include:

• Workplace harassment and the limits of freedom of expression – Strategies to minimise workplace conflicts including respectful expression of views, encouraging tolerance of diverse perspectives, and providing training for employees and managers.

• Employer neutrality – the impact on employee relations of maintaining a neutral stance or taking a stand on a political question.

• Health and safety obligations: employees directly affected by political events may feel hyper-visible. How should employers respond to this?  And what other obligations arise when conflict directly impacts the workforce? 

Optional tours depart

See ‘Tours’, booking required