Leading Employment Lawyer Martin Chitty Joins Averta Employment Lawyers as Senior Consultant Solicitor
Averta Employment Lawyers is delighted to announce that the vastly experienced Martin Chitty has joined the firm as a Senior Consultant Solicitor.
Martin brings an exceptional depth of expertise gained over nearly four decades of practice in employment law. Having begun his career at Pinsent & Co in Birmingham, Martin qualified in 1986 he went on to hold senior positions at Wragge & Co (later Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co and Gowling WLG), where he served as a partner for over 25 years.
Recognised as a one of the most experienced and respected employment lawyers in the UK, Martin is listed in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame and as a Senior Statesperson in employment law by Chambers UK.
Commenting on his new role, Martin said:
“I’m thrilled to start on this new phase of my career and join Averta Employment Lawyers. Averta’s focus on providing top-tier advice to senior executives and professionals aligns perfectly with my interests and expertise. I look forward to working with the team to help clients navigate their most challenging employment issues.”
Averta’s Co-Founder and Director, Alan Jones, welcomed Martin to the firm, stating:
“I know from being on the other side of cases, Martin’s unparalleled experience and deep understanding of employment law make him a perfect fit for Averta and our clients. We’re excited to have him on board to strengthen our offering to senior executives and businesses alike.”
Martin’s career has been rooted in Birmingham, where he has built a reputation for his expertise in complex employment matters. His work spans business protection, restrictive covenants, Employment Tribunal claims, collective rights, TUPE transfers, and service agreements, particularly in the context of private equity transactions. He has also advised professional services firms, law firms, and senior executives on sensitive and high-profile matters, including investigations and strategic employment issues.
Averta Employment Lawyers is renowned for its work with senior executives, professionals, and business leaders, offering pragmatic, results-focused advice in employment law matters. With Martin’s arrival, Averta continues to solidify its position as a go-to firm for clients facing complex and high-stakes employment challenges.
Averta team gains positive recognition in Legal 500 2025
Team described as ‘responsive, commercial and pragmatic’ and the “go-to employment advisers for senior directors.”
Once again, Averta Employment Lawyers has been highly ranked by the leading law firm directory, Legal 500.
The commentary in Legal 500 highlights the team is ‘responsive, commercial and pragmatic’ with “an exceptionally strong eye for detail’.
As in previous years Averta is in Tier Two in the West Midlands Employment category, which is an excellent performance for a small niche firm. Averta is particularly pleased that all Averta’s partners, associates, and consultants each attracted positive commentary.
David Sykes continues: “Whilst Alan and I started the firm, we have had a great team working with us who have helped to grow and develop the business over the years. It’s a matter of considerable pride to see our solicitors recognised for their work. It is this team that is ensuring Averta’s ongoing success and we were delighted to have Andrew Lester join Alan and me as partner in our 20th year.”
Alan Jones says: “Twenty years ago, David and I thought there was a space in the market for a firm that focused on the needs of senior executives. Thankfully, I think we were right and our ongoing recognition by ‘legal bible’ Legal 500 acknowledges we are still fulfilling a demand there. Most of all we are grateful to our clients and professional contacts who have described the firm in positive terms.”
All of the Averta team gained favourable comments in Legal 500 2025, with positive mentions of Alan Jones, David Sykes, Andrew Lester, Izzy Canbury, David Beswick, Alan Dark, Helen Hughes and Charlotte Cooper.
For further information go to https://www.legal500.com/rankings/ranking/c-west-midlands/employment/employment/1953-averta-employment-lawyers-llp
Averta Employment Lawyers promotes Andrew Lester to partner
1st October 2024 - Averta Employment Lawyers, a boutique employment law firm and one of The Times Best Law Firms, is pleased to announce the promotion of Andrew Lester to partner.
Lester joined Averta in 2018 and has been a key contributor to the firm's success. His promotion reflects his expertise and commitment to delivering high-quality legal services to clients.
Commenting on his promotion, he said, “I am delighted to be taking on this new role as partner and look forward playing my part in the firm’s future successes. I want to ensure we remain ‘the place to go’ for senior executive and professionals who can struggle to find high quality legal advice elsewhere.”
David Sykes, one of the founder partners and director at Averta, commented, "Andrew’s promotion is a testament to his dedication and the results he delivers for our clients. He embodies our strategy of combining strong commercial skills with employment law expertise which we use to benefit our clients."
The other founder partner, Alan Jones, added, "Andrew’s promotion to partner is well-deserved. His is a key part of our team and I am really looking forward to working with this to drive the firm’s development in the future."
Before joining Averta, Lester was a partner at Bowling & Co Solicitors in London, where he led the employment law team. Andrew has extensive experience advising SMEs, partnerships, and individuals, and representing clients at Employment Tribunals and in the High Court and County Court.
Andrew’s promotion reinforces Averta’s position as a top-tier employment law firm, recognised for its experience and strong technical knowledge. Many leading legal firms refer their clients to Averta for its specialised expertise in representing individuals.