Karen Cole

Karen Cole is the Partner and Head of Employment at RIAA Barker Gillette (UK) LLP, specialising in Employment Law. With over 20 years of experience, she advises businesses and individuals on all aspects of the employment relationship, from drafting robust policies and contracts to handling complex disputes, dismissals, redundancies and settlement agreements.

Karen represents mid‑tier businesses and in‑house HR professionals, providing both practical day‑to‑day advice and strategic guidance on contentious matters. She also advises senior executives on employment contracts, family‑friendly rights and exits. Her practice encompasses employment tribunal litigation, restrictive covenants, GDPR compliance, discrimination and whistleblowing claims. She frequently speaks and writes on employment law developments and is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association (ELA) and the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL).