Partner — 14 years experience

“Every person who walks through our door has had their dignity undermined at work. My purpose is to restore that dignity — and to make clear to employers that there are consequences.”

Biography

Serena Okafor heads Ashford Gray's employment law practice, where she has built a formidable reputation for securing justice for employees subjected to discrimination, harassment, wrongful dismissal, and unlawful treatment of every kind. At the same time, she advises a select group of employers on building legally compliant, fair, and high-performing workplaces.

A graduate of the University of Warwick and NYU School of Law, Serena trained at a leading City employment firm before joining Ashford Gray in 2013. She is an Accredited Representative before Employment Tribunals and sits on the Equality & Human Rights Commission's panel of solicitors, advising on strategic equality litigation.

Serena's practice covers the full breadth of employment law: race, sex, disability, age, and religion discrimination; sexual harassment and workplace bullying; whistleblower and whistleblowing retaliation claims; TUPE transfers; restrictive covenants and garden leave; and complex executive terminations. She represents both claimants and respondents at the Employment Tribunal, Employment Appeal Tribunal, and in the civil courts.

Among her notable achievements: a £2.1 million settlement secured for a senior female executive subjected to systematic gender discrimination at a global bank; the successful defence of an employer in a high-profile constructive dismissal claim brought by a former CEO; and a groundbreaking disability discrimination case that led directly to revised ACAS guidance on mental health at work.

Practice Areas

Education

• NYU School of Law — J.D., 2009 (Law Review)
• University of Warwick — LL.B., 2006 (First Class Honours)

Bar Admissions & Qualifications

• England & Wales (Solicitor)
• Employment Tribunals — Accredited Representative
• Equality & Human Rights Commission — Panel Solicitor

Awards & Recognition

• Legal 500 UK — Leading Individual, Employment, 2018–2026
• Law360 UK — Rising Star, Employment Law, 2017–2020
• Chambers UK — Band 2, Employment, 2020–2026
• Employment Lawyers Association — Shortlisted, Junior Employment Lawyer of the Year, 2018