PA: Donna Mamigonian

Sue qualified as a solicitor in 1984 having graduated LLB (2.1) with honours from Sheffield University in 1980 and having successfully completed the Solicitors’ final examinations at Chester College of Law in 1981. Following a gap year spent in Sicily with the family of an Italian Lawyer (when she became fluent in Italian (much of which has since been forgotten!) Sue returned to the UK in September 1982 to complete her legal training.

Throughout her career, Sue has undertaken a broad range of legal work including, in her early career, matrimonial and criminal defence work. Sue has worked in house as what would now be referred to as “General Legal Counsel” advising on a broad range of public sector specific issues; has undertaken medico legal defence work and since 1992 has specialised in employment law for public and private sector organisations.

From 2001 (until she established Law by Design) Sue held equity partnerships in two well established, highly regarded law firms (including a top 50 law firm with an international presence). During that time and since Sue has been recognised as a leading lawyer for employment in Chambers and the Legal 500.

Sue has a passion (and proven track record) for building and developing teams, creating an environment in which its members can work together in synergy to give clients the best possible service.

Outside of work Sue’s interests include golf, walking, travel, family and friends.

Testimonials:

“One of the best introductions I’ve ever had”
Sue Woodward OBE

“Sue Morrison always seems to be able to put her clients in a position of strength”
Legal 500 2016

“A fantastic lawyer and a person who would swiftly gasp the complicated nature of my business”

“A calm and professional manner at all times but always providing me with the reassuring feeling that she would fight my corner with a steely determination”

Zhaleh studied law at Manchester Metropolitan University and graduated in 2004. She then went on to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC), graduating from that in 2008.

Following successful completion of the LPC, Zhaleh secured a role as a paralegal with a local firm and went on to complete a 2-year training contract, qualifying as a solicitor in 2012.

From there Zhaleh went to work for a specialist employment law consultancy, where she was made a director.

Zhaleh has worked with an array of private sector clients, giving a broad range of advice on various areas of employment law, both contentious and non-contentious.

Zhaleh joined Law by Design in November 2021.

Zhaleh is bilingual and is fluent in both Farsi and English.

In her spare time Zhaleh enjoys keeping active, in particular she enjoys running. She has taken part in numerous 10k events, and the Wilmslow half marathon, and has raised money for various charities.

Ian’s origins are in the North West of England, but he has practised law at the highest levels in many different corners of the world.  He has worked in private practice and as In-house Counsel, both prosecuting and defending high-value claims for over thirty years. He has spent many years living in, and operating from overseas jurisdictions, including Australia, Hong Kong, Oman, and Abu Dhabi.

After graduating in Law from Cambridge University, and acquiring some experience of the ‘real world’ in industry and in the hospitality business, Ian started his legal career at a prominent employment law and trades union practice in Gray’s Inn, London, where he worked on labour law aspects of some of the most politicised disputes of the day, including the banning of unions at GCHQ and the opening-up of the telecoms market through Mercury Communications. 

He widened his skills base by joining a newly-formed niche litigation practice (which subsequently became part of the global law firm DLA), working primarily on music industry disputes involving household names such as Status Quo and Richard Branson, before moving to Australia as a mid-ranked associate. He worked there in commercial litigation and, later, construction law with the two largest and best-respected Queensland practices, who subsequently amalgamated with the national and international practices of Allens and Clayton Utz respectively.

On returning to the UK in the 1990s, Ian joined the leading UK construction law practice, Masons (subsequently Pinsent Masons), where he was made a partner at the age of 32.  He worked in their Manchester, Hong Kong, and London offices over a period of 16 years. Among other roles he became the Managing Partner of their Hong Kong office (having been admitted as a solicitor there shortly after the 1997 handover), and was later appointed head of their London-based International and Energy Practice.

In search of new challenges, Ian then moved to Nabarro LLP (now part of CMS), and worked with them as a Partner for several years, primarily on PFI and PPP Projects, before going ‘in house’ to the American engineering behemoth Bechtel.  He became their only Middle-East based Counsel, living in Abu Dhabi and travelling extensively throughout the region. He managed large-scale litigation with teams from world-recognised international arbitration practices, primarily addressing high-value disputes in the utilities, tourism, and transport infrastructure sectors. 

In recent years Ian has worked on a consultancy basis, both as a sole practitioner and with specialist overseas legal practices, specialising in arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.  He has become an accredited mediator, and continues to work in dispute resolution for some of the largest infrastructure companies in the world.

His outside interests include playing the piano (badly), nature conservation, gardening, and the great outdoors.   

James studied law at the University of Keele and graduated in 2001 with LLB honours. He went on to complete the LPC at the University of Law in London where he developed an interest in employment law.  In 2016 James completed a Masters of Laws in employment law at the University of Leicester and is a member of the Industrial Law Society and Discrimination Law Association.

Having worked in the private sector with a brief stint in politics, James went on to work for Citizens Advice as a specialist employment law adviser/caseworker where he was responsible for providing advice and representation in contentious employment law matters.

James has also worked under the Legal Services Commission’s Legal Help Scheme where he gained extensive experience running complex tribunal cases, acting in settlement negotiations and representing claimants at tribunal hearings.

He has also provided training on a wide range of employment law areas to a number of local and national organisations.  His particular interests are in whistleblowing and discrimination.

James initially joined the By Design team as a Principal Investigator for Investigations By Design, undertaking a number of complex independent investigations at NHS Trusts, CCGs, University and private sector organisations. He has experience undertaking MHPS, whistleblowing, discrimination, grievance and conduct investigations.

James qualified as a Solicitor in December 2023.

He prides himself in his attention to detail and his pragmatic approach to employment disputes.

Outside work James enjoys skiing, squash and golf.

PA: Colette Porteous 

Nick is a highly experienced HR and OD professional with nearly thirty years’ experience working in the field of people management.

After graduating in English and History, much of Nick’s career was spent working in the NHS where his work on staff engagement and partnership working in particular, attained national recognition. He is also a former winner of the prestigious NHS North West, HR Director of the year award.

In May 2014 Nick was appointed as Director of HR Services with our associated company, Law by Design where he helped to establish a successful employment law business. In April 2015, having left LBD, Nick was appointed as Director of both HRSBD and Investigations by Design (IBD). He now works across both companies, leading our teams and assisting our clients in all sectors of employment including the public, private and charitable sectors.

Nick’s recent work includes assisting businesses with the impact of organisational restructuring and, undertaking sensitive and/or complex case investigations.

Nick is a chartered member of the CIPD. He is a trained workplace mediator, Myers Briggs Type facilitator and NCAS trained case investigator. Nick is passionate about helping organisations achieve excellence in all their people management activities and in thus helping them to deliver great places to work for the benefit of everyone.

Outside of work, Nick enjoys running, walking, cycling, literature, history, gardening and all things railways.

Testimonials:

We were greatly impressed by the skill with which Nick clarified all of the issues to be investigated and with the extremely thorough and complete manner in which each issue was then explored and set out in the resulting report, with clear findings and recommendations based on the evidence gleaned by Nick throughout the course of the investigation. We also received excellent feedback from staff on the way that Nick and his IBD colleagues had interfaced with all colleagues involved in the matter under investigation.

Nick produced a comprehensive, highly helpful report on time and his findings were accepted in their entirety by our case manager. I would not hesitate to use IBD’s services again or to recommend them to any colleague considering using the services of an independent case investigator.

Linda is an experienced employee relations professional with 21 years of experience working with various sectors in the field of people management.

Having qualified as a Registered Nurse in 1992 working in the NHS and private sectors, Linda became a Regional Manager of a Care Home Group before developing an interest in Human Resources and employment law.

After a move away from her nursing and management career, Linda focused on employee relations, working for a specialist employment law consultancy until 2022. During this time, Linda provided bespoke employee relations and HR advice to clients in various industries which included; logistics, automotive, production and manufacturing, private educational establishments and warehousing and distribution, to name but a few. This interest led to Linda completing a Masters of Laws in Employment Law at the University of Leicester in 2017. Linda then moved to work at BCA in 2022 as a Senior Employee Relations advisor, leading a team of four before taking a role as Head of HR Solutions by Design.

Linda has a proven track record of advising on and undertaking large complex business change projects, and supporting businesses and HR teams, either remotely or in person, to effectively manage a wide range of employee relations issues at all stages of the employment lifecycle.

Linda was appointed as the Head of HR Solutions in December 2023.

Outside of work Linda enjoys reading, walking, indoor cycling and fitness classes. Linda also enjoys raising money for charities, undertaking various fitness challenges such as abseiling down the Galpharm Stadium, walking the Yorkshire Three Peaks and a six hour ‘spinathon’.

Donna has over 16 years’ experience within the legal industry both as a PA and an Office Manager primarily within the areas of sports and commercial. 

Prior to joining Law by Design Donna held an Office Manager role within a niche sports law firm which encompassed secretarial, personnel, accounts, health and safety compliance and facilities functions. 

Within Law by Design Donna is the Office Manager and PA to fee earners.  Donna is also responsible for accounts assistance and secretarial / administration cover.

Donna is a keen Manchester United supporter and she really dislikes people who don’t indicate when turning. An interesting fact about Donna is that Simon le Bon once picked her up off the floor when she fell down the stairs.

Originally from the North East, Colette has significant experience providing administrative and secretarial support in the legal industry. 

Colette joined Investigations by Design as PA to the team in November 2016, having previously worked as a secretary/PA for 27 years for a law firm covering various aspects of law, but primarily working within the personal injury and employment liability departments. Colette's main love in her role is organisation and keeping the team in check! 

Outside of work Colette enjoys holidays, seeing her family, visiting her parents who live in France, socialising as much as possible, eating out, red wine and going to the gym (occasionally!)

Colette dislikes – bad manners, bad drivers and bad everything.