Biography

Mike Cain is known for his unflinching support of clients facing some of the most complex and high-stakes employment disputes in the UK. With a track record spanning landmark whistleblowing cases, high-profile discrimination claims, and nationally significant litigation, he is widely regarded as a leading adviser to senior executives in financial services and beyond. Mike combines sharp legal strategy with a calm, honest approach that clients deeply value—especially when the pressure is on.

He qualified as a solicitor in 2009, following a decade working in the trade union sector across entertainment/media, health, and local government. Early in his legal career, he gained national recognition through his work for trade unions and the Police Federation, including leadership of the collective redundancy litigation arising from the insolvency of Woolworths—a case that ultimately reached the Court of Justice of the EU.

Mike has acted in high-profile discrimination and whistleblowing cases, including the widely reported Afrifa v Goldman Sachs claim, which ran between 2017 and 2019. More recently, he took over and successfully settled domestic whistleblowing proceedings brought by lawyer and judge Maria Bamieh against the Foreign Office, in connection with her work for EULEX in Kosovo.

From 2013 to 2017, Mike served on the Executive Committee of the Industrial Law Society. He is ranked in Chambers and Partners and has been recognised in every edition of Legal 500 since 2013.

Mike’s expertise extends beyond financial services. He has led litigation and advised on exits for senior academics, university leaders, scientists, and executives in the pharma and media sectors. He also regularly represents senior lawyers—including fixed share and equity partners—in employment disputes, and co-authored a paper on the scope of the Equality Act and partner termination rights.