Farrer & Co marks one year of pro bono partnership with Maternity Action

The Employment Rights Act 2025 signals a refresh of the legal landscape and heralds significant changes to family rights, due to come into effect as early as April 2026. With a record number of cases lodged with the Employment Tribunal, steadily increasing the backlog and subsequent delay in achieving justice, it is more important than ever that employers and employees understand their obligations and entitlements. This is particularly the case for expectant parents navigating the complexities of maternity, paternity and shared parental leave and pay.

Farrer & Co has collaborated with leading maternity rights charity Maternity Action since November 2024 on its pro bono programme, which is aimed at preventing and challenging workplace maternity discrimination. Rhiannon Maddocks, Senior Legal Adviser at Maternity Action, said of the initiative:

"Maternity Action's programme enables pregnant women and new parents to access free legal advice on their pregnancy - and maternity-related employment queries, ensuring that they understand their rights at an early stage. This equips women with the knowledge and confidence to approach their employers and facilitates an informed and meaningful conversation."

As the law evolves ever rapidly, initiatives like Maternity Action's pro bono programme also provide greater clarity to employees and employers, helping to avoid hostility and the costly and stressful escalation to the Employment Tribunal. Farrer & Co Employment Partner Rachel Lewis commented:

"Given that almost half of Maternity Action's client base come from low-income backgrounds, it is vital that organisations like Maternity Action exist to enable employers and employees alike to have the right conversations. The programme's impact is key to the purpose behind our pro bono initiatives: strengthening the rule of law and promoting robust corporate governance."

At Farrer & Co, our colleagues advise new and expectant parents on maternity, paternity and other family related employment rights, following comprehensive training and with full supervision from employment lawyers and specialist advisers at Maternity Action. So far, 34 of our volunteers spanning six practice areas have provided rights-based advice to 66 parents through this initiative. Two Farrer & Co volunteers were named Maternity Action Top Volunteers in 2025. We are proud to be able to support Maternity Action with furthering their mission, whilst providing our people with the opportunity to help individuals who might not otherwise access justice.

The pro bono team of volunteers at Farrer & Co comprises our Client Partner Rachel Lewis and Alice Kendle, Alice Parker, Amna Mushtaq, Amy Broadfoot, Amy Wren, Anastasia Embedoklis, Annisa Khan, Ayisha Akamo, Bijou Kaye, Caitlin Farrar, Ellen Maguire, Emily Part, Emmeline Downer, Iman Kouchouk, Jenna Whistler, Jennifer Williams, Jessica Harker, Jonathon Goldstone, Kamilla Claxton, Keeley Barnes, Kezia Battley, Lapo Rocco Di Torrepadula, Megan McCaffrey, Natasha Nichols, Olivia Bradley, Perihan Tur, Ravina Bahra, Rhian Lewis, Rosanna Gregory, Senem Osmankan, Shehnal Amin, Simmone Rodrigues-Taylor, Tom Chapman and Zoe Hare.

For more information about our Pro Bono work, see here.