Meet Martin Williams, Lawyer & Head of Employment

Meet Martin Williams

 

Martin Williams decided to go into employment law, following his wife’s experience with maternity leave and her workplace and what she had gone through while she was pregnant with their first child. The way she was treated in regards to her maternity leave and all the conditions around it, made them both seek advice and urged Williams forward to make a rather significant career change.

 

 

Williams is now the Head of Employment and Partner at the Mayo Wynne Baxter firm which is based in Sussex. He has been a qualified lawyer for twenty years, and has always wanted to practice employment law. With his work as a lawyer, he has found clients from all over the country.

 

Prior to becoming a lawyer, Williams worked in the arts and spent twelve years in orchestra management where he managed around the world, including places such as London, Birmingham, and New York. Williams has travelled the world with orchestras which gave him a lot of helpful experience in personnel. It was during his time managing in New York, where he met his wife.

 

This shift in different career paths surprised many people, he tells us. They wondered how he went from managing musicians to practicing employment law as they are two quite different professions.

 

Williams explains that it’s not easy to find a specialism you like and want to get into. The legal services are full of uphill’s and pitfalls, but he’s managed to maintain his enjoyment and passion, so he feels very lucky.

 

Employment law and adjustments in the workplace are very relevant to people going through menopause and continually pop up in our news feeds. It is difficult to know what to ask for and expect, and when. Our friend Penny talks about her experiences of menopause in the workplace, here.