Akua Reindorf KC specialises in employment, discrimination and human rights law, focussing on complex and protracted litigation and high profile internal investigations. She has particular expertise in the higher education sector and has been appointed as a Visiting Senior Fellow at LSE Law School, where she will focus on the law of academic freedom and freedom of speech in higher education.

Akua was appointed as a Commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2021 and as a Fee Paid Employment Judge in 2020. She was a member of the Attorney General’s Panel of Counsel (B Panel) from 2019 until she was appointed King’s Counsel in 2023.

Akua is acclaimed in the directories as “superb” and is noted for her “gravitas”, her excellent cross-examination skills, attention to detail and ability to quickly get to the heart of a case. She was awarded Barrister of the Year in the Legal Business Awards 2023, Employment Junior of the Year in the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2022 and was one of The Lawyer’s Hot 100 for 2022.

Akua is listed in Chambers & Partners’ Independent Investigations category. Her substantial experience of investigatory work includes:

• University of Essex “Reindorf Report” into alleged no-platforming of two external speakers who were accused of transphobia. The report was hailed as a “turning point” in the debate on sex and gender, trans rights and cancel culture in universities. Press coverage includes: Stonewall should stay out of trans rights war (Matthew Parris, The Times); Stonewall and the silencing of feminist voices at universities (Julie Bindel, The Spectator); It's wrong to erase women for the rights of others (Suzanne Moore, The Daily Telegraph); The Observer view on the right to free expression.

• Large scale investigations into sensitive and controversial internal matters for the University of Cambridge, a University of Oxford college and the University of Warwick.

• Investigating and reviewing a university’s approach to allegations of antisemitism in the context of its adoption of the IHRA definition of antisemitism and its obligations to uphold freedom of speech and academic freedom.

• Investigating and reviewing a College’s approach to allegations of sexual harassment following a high profile incident involving a senior leader, and drafting a new sexual harassment policy.

• Appointed to prosecute internal disciplinary proceedings against the leader of an Oxbridge college.

• Reviewing a leading university’s employment policies and practices relating to performance management and grievance and disciplinary matters, and making wide ranging recommendations for their improvement.

Akua’s litigation practice covers the full range of employment sectors, with an emphasis on advice and representation in challenging, hard-fought discrimination and harassment cases. She advises on and has been instructed in many of the key cases involving religion or philosophical belief discrimination and / or the vexed question of how discrimination and human rights law deals with sex and gender:

• Representing Sex Matters intervening at the Court of Appeal in Higgs v Farmor’s School, the pivotal case on how Tribunals should approach manifestation of religion or belief in a way which is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (leading Dr Michael Foran).

• Successfully defending the LGB Alliance in the First Tier Tribunal against the challenge brought to its charitable status by Mermaids, the first case of its kind (with Karon Monaghan KC).

• Acting for James Esses, a trainee psychotherapist, in his Employment Tribunal claim for philosophical belief discrimination against the Metanoia Institute and the UK Council for Psychotherapy. The case settled, with important public statements acknowledging the validity of Mr Esses’ beliefs published by both Metanoia and the UKCP.

• Acting for Julie Bindel in her judicial review alleging breach of the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Human Rights Act 1998 (settled) against Nottingham City Council after its library service cancelled a talk she was due to give on violence against women and girls (with Karon Monaghan KC and Beth Grossman).

• Representing Dr Almut Gadow in her Employment Tribunal claim for philosophical belief discrimination against the Open University.

• Acting for and advising Dr John Armstrong and Professor Michael Biggs in their County Court claim for philosophical belief discrimination relating to editorial decisions made by the academic journal BMJ Open.

• Representing Dr Eleanor Frances in her Employment Tribunal claim for philosophical belief discrimination against two government departments.

• Advising a UK charity about its ability lawfully to provide single sex services.

• Advising feminist groups about the approach taken by a local authority to the provision of single and separate sex services.

• Advising and representing a UK charity in its potential Employment Tribunal claim against a trade organisation for philosophical belief discrimination (leading Beth Grossman).

• Advising a Russell Group university on its trans inclusion policies.

• Advising a major sporting organisation about its internal implementation of the IHRA definition of antisemitism and the APPG definition of Islamophobia.

• Acting for Aysha Khanom, founder of The Race Trust, in her claim against Leeds Beckett University in which she argued that Critical Race Theory was a protected belief.

• Representing Mohammed Arif, a former politician, in his race and religion discrimination complaint against his local Conservative Party in which he makes allegations of institutionalised Islamophobia.

Akua’s recent and ongoing work in other areas of employment and discrimination law includes:

• Representing Kamalamal Puthenveetil, a migrant domestic worker who alleged that she was gravely mistreated and underpaid. Instructed by ATLEU, Akua obtained a landmark judgment which established the right to the minimum wage for thousands of unpaid or underpaid and severely exploited migrant workers. The Tribunal (upheld by the Employment Appeal Tribunal) set aside the “family worker exemption” (also known as the “au pair exemption”) on the basis that it indirectly discriminates against women. As a result of the case the legislation has been repealed.

• Successfully representing cleaners employed at Topshop after they were dismissed for taking part in union protests over “poverty pay”.

• Representing the Crown Prosecution Service and the former Director of Public Prosecutions in a major disability, sex and age discrimination case brought against them by the serving Chief Executive of the CPS (leading Adam Ohringer).

• Repeat instructions to advise and represent the University of Cambridge in relation to its labyrinthine internal policies and procedures and employment disputes, in particular those relating to its unusual Employer Justified Retirement Age Policy.

• Frequent repeat instructions from the British Transport Police, Christ Church Oxford, the University of Warwick, the University of Nottingham, Marks & Spencer and HSBC.

In suitable cases Akua accepts direct instructions from members of the public under the Bar Council Public Access scheme.

Chambers & Partners 2025: (Employment) "She always goes above and beyond." "She is highly strategic and incredibly clever." "She is always across the documents and the detail." "Akua is an outstanding advocate and also a pleasure to work with." "Akua is a real thought leader who is making a positive difference to the legal landscape." (Independent Investigations) "We would have no hesitation in using her again." "Akua is very easy to work with, approachable and down to earth, and provides very clear and helpful advice." "Akua is brilliant all round."

Legal 500 2025: "Akua deploys a calm authority to clients, opponents and judges born out of her extremely detailed knowledge of black letter law, her fluency in advocacy and her eye for strategy.”

Chambers & Partners 2024: “Akua is always thoughtful, supportive and helpful on complex matters”. “She is able to pick things up and run with them straight away. Her expertise enables us to get the legal framework to formulate claims.” “Akua can't put a step wrong in my opinion.” “We turn to her for investigations as she is phenomenally good at conveying a view in an articulate and nuanced way. She is robust and clear in laying out the issues at play, and never sitting on the fence, which helps carve a way through. She can explain her views in a sensitive way that takes into account differing positions, views and the wider sensitivities”.

"She is an outstanding advocate and she is a go-to barrister for complex tribunal litigation. She is always absolutely on top of her brief, she is robust and methodical in cross-examination, she is very easy to work with and she is committed to winning the case."

Who’s Who Legal 2024: Recommended for Labour, Employment & Immigration.

Chambers & Partners 2023: "Akua is excellent. She is authoritative and instils confidence in both instructing solicitors and clients alike." "Akua is always across the detail and really effective in cross-examination; she is able to dismantle the opponent's case piece by piece."

Legal 500 2023: "Akua is very collaborative in her approach, and she presents a unified front with instructing solicitors, which is always great for clients to see and not something that can be taken for granted when instructing Counsel. She is hardworking, very client friendly, and tenacious and very persuasive in her advocacy."

Chambers & Partners 2022: "Akua Reindorf is a brilliant lawyer who clients love working with, and she is very calm and measured. Her ability to home in on detail so quickly is also very impressive."

Legal 500 2022: "As well as being extremely knowledgeable, Akua provides clear, pragmatic, commercial advice that is tailored to the client. She understands a situation very quickly and makes the most complex concepts clear to understand. Her advocacy is exceptional – brilliant to watch. She is always a pleasure to work with and very popular with the clients."

Chambers & Partners 2021: "A persuasive advocate who had the respect of the tribunal from the outset and who presented the case with a sense of balance and where necessary a certain dispassionate manner as well. She was good at taking the heat out of things."

Legal 500 2021: “Outstanding skills all round, including brilliant, highly effective advocacy and incredibly clear, understandable written advice – makes the most complex points seem straightforward.”

Chambers & Partners 2020: "Very down to earth, clear and pragmatic, and can make complex information seem straightforward." "She has great attention to detail, is very hard-working and quickly gets to the heart of a case."

Legal 500 2020: "A class act; a quite outstanding junior with the ability to cut to the heart of a matter and a devastating cross-examiner."

Chambers & Partners 2019: "Works primarily on highly complex discrimination cases, often representing trade unions and individuals at appellate cases and in Supreme Court matters. She also has experience handling dismissal claims." "She has got a very calm and measured manner, which is effective." "She has fantastic attention to detail and is always willing to go the extra mile."

Appointments

• Commissioner of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (appointed 2021)

• Fee Paid Employment Judge (South East Region) (appointed 2020)

Membership

• ELA

• ELBA

• Discrimination Law Association

Akua’s forthcoming and recent speaking engagements include:

• Speaking at the 2024 LGB Alliance Conference on philosophical belief discrimination case law (October 2024)

• Article in the New Statesman on the proposed repeal of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (August 2024) (unabridged version)

• Appearing at a panel event on Sex, Discrimination and the Equality Act hosted by Outspoken Women (July 2024, with Maya Forstater and Helen Joyce)

• Addressing the Guardian and Observer Sex Equality Group on Free Expression and Journalism (December 2023)

• Speaking at Cloisters’ seminar on Hair Discrimination (October 2023)

• Speaking on developments in the law relating to harassment and bullying at Michael Rubenstein’s 22 KCs annual conference (October 2023)

• Speaking on modern slavery and migrant domestic workers at the Industrial Law Society’s annual conference (September 2023)

• Speaking at Council of Employment Judges annual conference (May 2023)

• Speaking on academic freedom and freedom of expression in Scottish universities for University of Edinburgh Academics for Academic Freedom (May 2023)

• Speaking on the family worker exemption and migrant domestic workers at the University of Bristol’s Feminist Student Society event on women’s access to justice (April 2023)

• Speaking on academic freedom, freedom of speech and diversity at the All Party Parliamentary University Group session on promoting freedom of speech in higher education (March 2023)

• Delivering the opening plenary talk on freedom of speech and feminism at the WPUK / UCL Education for Women’s Liberation Conference (February 2023)

• Training Warwick University leaders at an Inspire event on freedom of speech and diversity in higher education (January 2023)

• Speaking on the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill at the Office for Students Insight Event on Freedom of Speech in Higher Education (December 2022).

Akua is a member of the LexisPSL Employment Consulting Editorial Board and a regular contributor to: Employment Lawyers Association’s “Briefings” publication and training programme, the Discrimination Law Association’s “Briefings” publication and LexisPSL Employment‘s online publications.

• Legal Business Awards Barrister of the Year 2023

• Chambers UK Bar Awards 2022 Employment Junior of the Year

• The Lawyer Hot 100 2022.

• Middle Temple Diplock Scholarship 1998

• Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law, 1999

• CPE Diploma in Law, City University 1998

• MA in Social and Political Thought, University of Sussex 1994 – distinction

• BA (Hons) in History of Art with Italian, University of Sussex 1993 – first class

• Representing Sex Matters intervening at the Court of Appeal in Higgs v Farmor’s School, the pivotal case on how Tribunals should approach manifestation of religion or belief in a way which is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (leading Dr Michael Foran).

• Representing the Crown Prosecution Service and the former Director of Public Prosecutions in a major disability, sex and age discrimination case brought against them by the serving Chief Executive of the CPS (leading Adam Ohringer).

• Puthenveettil v Alexander and Others [2018] 1 WLUK 549; UKEAT/0165/17/DM / ET Case 2361118/2013 (15 December 2020); [2023] EAT 47 | [2023] 4 WLUK 44, [2023] ICR 987 | [2023] IRLR 512 EAT. Instructed by ATLEU for the Claimant, a migrant domestic worker who alleged that she was gravely mistreated and underpaid. Instructed by ATLEU, Akua obtained a landmark judgment which established the right to the minimum wage for thousands of unpaid or underpaid and severely exploited migrant workers. The Tribunal (upheld by the Employment Appeal Tribunal) set aside the “family worker exemption” (also known as the “au pair exemption”) on the basis that it indirectly discriminates against women. As a result of the case the legislation has been repealed.

• University of Essex "Reindorf Report” into alleged no-platforming of two external speakers who were accused of transphobia. The report was hailed as a “turning point” in the debate on sex and gender, trans rights and cancel culture in universities. Press coverage includes: Stonewall should stay out of trans rights war (Matthew Parris, The Times); Stonewall and the silencing of feminist voices at universities (Julie Bindel, The Spectator); It's wrong to erase women for the rights of others (Suzanne Moore, The Daily Telegraph); The Observer view on the right to free expression.

• [2022] EAT 120 | [2022] 5 WLUK 660 on interim relief.

• BDW Ltd v Kopec [2019] 12 WLUK 635 EAT on third party harassment.

• Benavides v Britannia Services Group Ltd ET case 2208186/2016. Successfully representing cleaners employed at Topshop after they were dismissed for taking part in union protests over “poverty pay”.

• Serco Leisure Operating Ltd v Miss M Lau [2018] 4 WLUK 6; UKEAT/0120/17/RN : Successful appeal on the application of the burden of proof in a s.18 pregnancy discrimination case.

• Prospect v Hajee UKEAT/0313/16/DA: Successfully defended an appeal against the Tribunal's findings on impartiality and failure to conduct investigation.

• BDW Trading Limited v Kopec [2019] 12 WLUK 635; UKEAT/0197/19/OO: Successful appeal against the Tribunal's finding that the Respondent was liable for third party harassment, without any finding that the Respondent's officers themselves had any discriminatory motivation.

• Singh v Reading Borough Council and Governing Body of Moorlands Primary School [2013] ICR 1158 CA. Akua and Robin Allen KC appeared for the Respondent school in this appeal relating to the application of judicial proceedings immunity, which was determined while the trial was part-heard. Akua was instructed alone in the long-running and exceptionally complex trial.

• Hayes v Willoughby [2013] UKSC 17. Akua and Robin Allen KC successfully represented the Respondent (formerly Claimant) in this Supreme Court case relating to the scope of the defence in s.1(3)(a) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The SC formulated a new test to determine whether a defendant has pursued a course of conduct amounting to harassment for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime.

• Aziz v FDA [2010] EWCA Civ 304; (2010) 154(14) SJLB 29 CA. A Court of Appeal case concerning continuing acts in discrimination law. This case formed a part of protracted and complex litigation by the Appellant in which Akua was instructed by the Respondent trade union.

• Carter v Ahsan [2008] 1 AC 696 HL. A long running race discrimination case against the Labour Party in which Akua was led at liability stage from first instance in 2001 to the House of Lords in 2007 by Robin Allen KC. Akua appeared on her own behalf at remedy stage in the EAT.

• Alabaster v Woolwich plc (ECJ) [2005] ICR 695 ECJ; [2005] ICR1246 CA. A complex equal pay matter in which Akua was led in the Court of Appeal and European Court of Justice by Karon Monaghan KC.

• Moonsar v Fiveways Transport [2005] IRLR 9 EAT. A sexual harassment case concerning pornography in the workplace.

• Moroak t/a Blake Envelopes v Cromie [2005] ICR 1226. Time limits in the EAT.