About
I used to advise employers. Now I help people.
I’m Tessa Pennington. I spent eight years at a large regional firm in the HR team, advising companies on redundancies, dismissals and settlement agreements.
It was good training. I learned how employers think, what they worry about and when they’re likely to settle. But I kept noticing how lost the people on the other side of the table were, and how expensive it was for them to get a straight answer.
So in 2019 I set up on my own, in a small office off Bugle Street, to do the opposite: give employees clear advice at a price they know in advance.
1,500+
settlement agreements reviewed
How I work
Three promises
Plain English
If I use a legal term, I’ll explain it. You’ll get a short written summary you can reread at 2am, not a twelve-page letter.
Prices up front
A fixed fee, or a fixed price per stage, agreed in writing before I start. If something changes, I’ll tell you before the price does.
Honest odds
I’ll tell you when something isn’t worth fighting. Nobody can guarantee an outcome, and I won’t pretend otherwise.
Background
Credentials
Employment law has been my only area of practice since qualifying.
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2019 – now
Founder, Pennington Employment Law
Independent practice for employees and senior staff in Southampton, Hampshire and online.
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2020
Accredited workplace mediator
Trained to help both sides of a workplace dispute find a way forward without a claim.
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2011 – 2019
Associate, then senior associate, employment team
Advised employers of every size on dismissals, redundancy programmes and tribunal claims.
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2011
Admitted as a solicitor
Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Trained in the employment team of the same firm, after a law degree in Southampton.
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Member
Southern Employment Lawyers’ Forum
A regional network of employment specialists. Committee member since 2022.
The office
A desk with a view of the docks
Most clients never need to visit: we talk by video or phone, and documents are signed online. If you’d rather meet in person, the office is a short walk from Southampton Central and the Town Quay.
Address
3 Chandlers Yard, Bugle Street
Southampton SO14 2AX
Hours
Mon–Fri, 9am–5.30pm
Thursdays until 7.30pm
The small print
Regulation and complaints
Replace the placeholders below with your own regulator, registration number and insurance details before you publish.
Regulation
Tessa Pennington is a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales, practising as a sole practitioner under the name Pennington Employment Law. Authorised and regulated by the solicitors’ regulator, registration no. 000000 (placeholder). The professional rules that apply can be found on the regulator’s website.
Insurance
The practice holds professional indemnity insurance at the level required by the regulator. Insurer details and the territorial coverage are available on request.
Complaints
If you’re unhappy with my service, please tell me first, by email or letter. I’ll acknowledge your complaint within three working days and give you a full response within eight weeks. If you’re still not satisfied, you can refer it to the independent legal services ombudsman, usually within six months of my final response.
Your information
Everything you tell me is confidential. Before we speak I run a conflict check using the names you give me, to make sure I’ve never acted for the other side. I only keep what I need, for as long as the rules require.
Free, no obligation
Not sure where you stand? Let’s talk it through.
A 15-minute call with me, Tessa. You’ll hang up knowing your options, any deadlines to watch and what help would cost.