Jemma Forrest

Employment Lawyer | Accredited Specialist | Mediator | Rising Star of the year of Anderson Strathern | Meritas Emerging Leader | Rising Star Meritas Women’s Leadership Awards

Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

About

I am a Director solicitor specialising in Employment Law at Anderson Strathern in Glasgow. Accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Employment Law. I regularly represent employer and employee clients across the private and public sectors, in all aspects of contentious employment issues including, unfair dismissal, discrimination, disciplinary and grievance issues and whistleblowing, to name a few. I also have experience representing clients at tribunal hearings (and virtual tribunal hearings) and can assist employer clients with non-contentious matters such as drafting and reviewing policies, contracts of employment, settlement agreements and TUPE. I am a trained mediator equipped to mediate employment and commercial disputes. Within Anderson Strathern I am the appointed Emerging Leader representative for Meritas. Meritas is a global network of premium independent law firms. As a proud independent Scottish firm, we are able to retain that independence but offer clients the global reach of the international network. I won Rising Star of the Year 2019 at the annual Anderson Strathern Awards Ceremony. I was also awarded Rising Star of the Year 2024 at the Meritas Women’s Leadership Awards. Through my previous experience of using the career mentoring service at the University of Aberdeen, I have become a trained mentor myself as part of the Law Society of Scotland career mentoring programme. I have previously sat on the social committee, staff forum and been a health and safety representative for the firm. I am currently an active member of the firms Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee. I am also the firms emotional well-being champion. Feel free to get in touch with me if you are looking for employment law advice or require a mediator.

Experience

  • Director at Anderson Strathern
    Sep 2017 - Present · 8 yrs 8 mos

  • Meritas Law Firms Worldwide (5 yrs 3 mos)
    • Emerging Leaders Advisory Board Secretary
      Apr 2025 - Present · 1 yr 1 mo

    • Emerging Leader
      Feb 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 3 mos

      Meritas is the premier global alliance of independent law firms. Membership of Meritas allows our clients to connect with other leading firms across the globe for a full range of legal services. I am part of the formerly named Young Lawyer programme, now called Emerging Leader programme representing Anderson Strathern as part of the global network.

    • Emerging Leaders Advisory Board (Board Member)
      May 2024 - Sep 2025 · 1 yr 5 mos

      Board member for the Meritas Emerging Leaders Advisory Board

  • Mentor at University of Aberdeen
    Nov 2020 - Apr 2025 · 4 yrs 6 mos

  • Mentor at The Law Society of Scotland
    Jun 2018 - Apr 2025 · 6 yrs 11 mos

  • Meritas Lawyer Exchange Programme at Whitney Moore
    Oct 2022 - Oct 2022 · 1 mo

    I took part in the Meritas lawyers exchange programme working remotely for Anderson Strathern at Whitney Moore in Dublin.