Ryan Anderson has a broad practice covering employment, civil, and housing law. He represents businesses, individuals, and local authorities.
In celebration of Pro Bono Week, he discusses a couple of his pro bono employment law cases.
Please tell us about the pro bono work you did
Through Advocate, I acted pro bono for a claimant in an employment remedy claim. She had won a claim against the Met Office and sought high-value, career-ending damages.
The treatment by her former employer resulted in her having complex PTSD and she had made multiple suicide attempts. The proceedings included not only a liability judgment but also a judgment on my client’s capacity.
Through the Work Rights Centre, I am acting pro bono for another employee in his claim against his former employer.
My client moved to the UK to take up a healthcare role. He started work with his employer, undertook training, but was never paid. Then his employer told him there was no work for him, which forced him to move back to India.
What impact did the pro bono work have on the people and communities you worked with?
In the 1st case, advising my client in her claim against the Met Office has given her vital support when her health issues made it incredibly difficult for her to conduct matters on her own.
In the 2nd case, my client appreciates having someone helping him with the legal aspects of his claim, for example whether he was ‘an employee’. He's especially grateful as English is not his first language and he would otherwise have to navigate a foreign legal system on his own.
Did your pro bono work have an impact on your professional career? If so, in what ways?
Managing a highly vulnerable client and complex legal issues of a nature far exceeding what a barrister of my seniority would ordinarily deal with has tested and strengthened my client handling skills.
The extensive praise I received from my instructing solicitor, client and opposing counsel for how I delicately argued the case despite sometimes challenging instructions may also have contributed to my expertise being recognised by one of the legal directories this year.
In terms of the ongoing case, it is listed for trial in March 2026, so offers a valuable trial preparation opportunity (employment cases settle fairly frequently to avoid negative press coverage).
Any final comments
The Bar has a strong culture of giving pro bono assistance to people who need it. I find pro bono highly rewarding – and it has the added benefit of being great for meeting new professional clients, and providing exposure to work which may ordinarily be at a higher level than your existing knowledge and experience.