Alison Loveday

Qualification

• Qualified in England and Wales in 1992

Alison is a Partner in the Manchester office. She is a nationally recognised expert in financial disputes and all aspects of employment law.

Alison trained as a solicitor at berg law firm, qualifying in 1992, and became Chief Executive in 2016.

Alison has two main areas of focus – people and business. Her early experience as a commercial litigator drew her into the world of board and shareholder disputes, which naturally evolved into the creation of berg’s employment team. She specialises in tackling people issues involving the varying concerns of shareholders, investors, directors and employees.

Alison’s work ranges from advising on the incentive arrangements for senior executives, to the negotiation of severance packages, conduct of employment tribunal claims and High Court injunctions to enforce restrictive covenants.

Ensuring businesses are kept abreast of current and forthcoming changes in legislation and case law and the impact they may have is an important part of Alison’s role – including the recent introduction of Gender Pay Gap reporting, supply chain management issues and the GDPR.

Alison has long championed the complex issues that businesses face, contributing to various independent investigations and lobbying with the Treasury Select Committee and the All Party Parliamentary Group - Fair Business Banking.

Alison is aware that many businesses are being held back due to a lack of funding, or historical arrangements that are no longer fit for purpose. Traditional banking arrangements for business have changed, and many business owners now want to look at a range of sources – including some of the emerging alternative finance models. Alison works with businesses to help identify their needs and ensure their financial arrangements are robust and appropriate.

Alison has dealt with financial and regulatory disputes throughout her career, and this increased significantly following the financial crisis. Her work in this area has given her a unique perspective on the approach adopted by financial institutions and regulators, and how best the needs of businesses can be addressed. Litigation can provide commercial leverage but achieving a commercial resolution which allows all parties to move onwards is a clear objective.

She is a keen supporter of the North West business community and a former Chair (and current Director) of business development organisation pro-manchester. She is also the Chair of the Science & Technology Sector Group, and joint Chair of the Skills Committee. Alison contributes to the education and skills debate in the North West – regularly engaging with apprenticeship and development schemes, such as iDEA, a scheme designed to develop digital and entrepreneurial skills for young people.

In addition to being an ambassador for the charity Antz, which works with businesses to help them support their communities and develop inclusive growth and social value, Alison is also a committed supporter of the Booth Centre, a charity which works with the homeless. Alison is keen to raise awareness of homelessness and particularly the link between mental health issues and homelessness, and is a regular commentator on these issues.

Alison is also a member of Vistage and supports a number of female entrepreneurs and women in business initiatives including the All Party Parliamentary Group for Entrepreneurship, The Pink Shoe Club and the Angel Academe. She is also a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.