Nigel Pitchford

Nigel's research focus revolves around the complex legal framework created for employment (contractual) statuses, and how such a structure can be used as an artifice when individual voices are raised in discontent within the workplace. For 'power concedes nothing without a demand' (Frederick Douglass, 1857). Currently, there is a pressing need for more empirical employment law research that works hand-in-hand with black letter and doctrinal approaches in order to facilitate rigorous evidence-based policy formation and evaluation. However, there are many constraints when researching conflict at work, for example, the difficulty in extracting information from employment tribunal (ET) judgments.

During Nigel's doctoral research (2019-22) he completed a significant review for two books that was published within ‘New Technology, Work and Employment’ (2022): ‘The Gig Economy and The Future of Work’ [The Gig Economy and The Future of Work - Pitchford - 2022 - New Technology, Work and Employment - Wiley Online Library]. Nigel also reviewed, prior to publication, an article for ‘The Economic and Labour Relations Review’ (2023): ‘False self-employment and bogus internships in Spain’ [False self-employment and bogus internships in Spain | The Economic and Labour Relations Review | Cambridge Core].

The external examiner for Nigel's doctorate, Dr E Kirk, of Glasgow University, a leading scholar in precarious work, commented:

The candidate performed extremely well in the oral examination, being well prepared, clearly very knowledgeable on the topic and addressing questions very effectively … The work is measured, rigorous and well-argued.  It provides an excellent summary of the complex legal framework around status and grievance procedures ... There is a highly reflective and pragmatic research design, responsive to the inherent difficulties of researching conflict and a useful discussion of the particular methods, eg the promise and peril of using ET and EAT online judgments 

[‘Painting a Picture’ when ‘Putting in a Grievance’ Revelations and Reforms for Resolving Individual Grievances at the Town Hall].

Nigel's research has highlighted elements of future policy impact. For example, a straightforward reform proposal for agency workers was discussed with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s lead official on contractual status who accepted its rationale; whilst one local authority HR manager commented: ‘We need to deal with complaints regardless of employment status’. During 2023, Nigel presented his findings to the Work and Equalities Institute’s Conference, University of Manchester, in January, and to the Society of Legal Scholars’ Annual Conference (SLS), in June.

Nigel has written an article, which indicates a key dimension of his research, under the title: ‘All cases are unique, and very similar to others’. This work is based on a contemporary review of English local authority cases before the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT). These employers, like the appeal tribunal itself, are so often neglected from academic inquiry (even though EAT decisions can be cited in proceedings they so often remain unreported). In 2024, 'Local Government Lawyer' published Nigel's edited work (the editor viewed it as an ‘excellent article’) in their 'Governance Newsletter'; this was directed towards lawyers, managers, and HR practitioners on the principles, derived from EAT judgments, underlying successful workplace grievance resolution ["All cases are unique, and very similar to others" [1]].

Nigel has developed an ongoing interest into workplace vulnerability: in 2025 Leeds Trinity University provided funding for his research into the legal complexity of agency work (£1,000 together with a writing retreat). The essence of the resulting paper was delivered at the SLS Conference under the title: 'The happening of bad things at work is not enough; UK agency workers' voices need to be heard by their host employers too'. This research proposes a new framework that would require hosts to hear the grievances (the bad things that originate from their workplaces) from their agency workers and uses a recent tribunal decision (Arnost v HMRC [2025] 2300882/2023) that so clearly illustrates the vulnerability of agency workers. An edited version of the paper was subsequently published in The Law Society of Scotland’s Journal [‘The happening of bad things at work is not enough — UK agency workers’ voices need to be heard by their host employers too’ | Law Society of Scotland].

During 2026, Nigel intends to focus his scholarship on writing a book on legal vulnerability at work in contemporary Britain.