Oliver Mills

Oliver accepts instructions across the full range of statutory and commercial employment law matters.

Oliver is regularly instructed, by both claimants and respondents, to appear in the Employment Tribunal, in cases involving discrimination, unfair dismissal and other statutory claims. His recent experience in the Employment Tribunal includes:

• X (an executive director) v Y (a local authority) (ongoing) – acting for the Claimant in race discrimination, unfair dismissal and unlawful deduction of wages proceedings.
• X (an accounting apprentice) v Y (an accounting firm) (ongoing) – acting for the Respondent in disability discrimination and unfair dismissal proceedings.
• X (junior employees) v Y (a financial services organisation) (ongoing) – acting for the Claimants in religious and philosophical belief discrimination proceedings.
• (X) (platform assistant) v Y (a train operator) (ongoing) – acting for the Respondent in race discrimination and unfair dismissal proceedings.

During his pupillage, supervised by Amy Rogers, Oliver gained experience of the full range of commercial employment law litigation, including disputes concerning team moves, breach of confidence and restrictive covenants.

Oliver acts for individuals, local and central government, and a range of other public authorities (including regulators) in all aspects of public law, both led and unled.

He recently acted for the Secretary of State for Business and Trade (led by Daniel Stilitz KC and Claire Darwin KC) in R (Unison) and others v Secretary of State for Business and Trade [2023] EWHC 1781 (Admin).

Oliver also has a particular interest in human rights litigation in Southern Africa. He does pro bono work for the Southern African Litigation Centre and has recently been involved in a successful appeal to the Supreme Court of Eswatini challenging the decision of the Registrar of Companies to refuse to register an LGBTI advocacy organisation.

Oliver accepts instructions from economic operators and authorities. He was recently instructed by the Secretary of State for Justice (led by Rupert Paines) in Boxxe Limited v The Secretary of State for Justice [2023] EWHC 533 (TCC).

Oliver is regularly instructed in information and data protection matters including advisory work and litigation under the UK GDPR/ Data Protection Act 2018 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Recent experience includes:

• Southern Water Services Limited v Information Commissioner – acting for the Information Commissioner, defending a Decision Notice requiring Southern Water Services Limited to disclose information relating to sewage spills and overflows.
• Dunlop v Information Commissioner and Kirklees Metropolitan Council [2022] UKFTT 469 – acted for the successful local authority defending a decision to withhold information under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
• Boiler Cover Breakdown Limited v Information Commissioner – acted for the Information Commissioner in an appeal of a Monetary Penalty Notice, issued for breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations.
• Acting for a number of defendants, including multiple credit reference agencies, in proceedings before the civil courts concerning alleged data breaches.