EMPLOYMENT law expert Dr John McMullen has been appointed head of employment law at North-East and Yorkshire firm Watson Burton.

Before that, he was the national head of employment at Pinsent Masons, a firm he joined in 1991.

He is classed as one of the country's leading practitioners in European employment law and is a part-time professor of law at the University of Leeds.

Allan Henderson, head of the commercial disputes department at Watson Burton, which has offices in Newcastle and Leeds, said: "Employment law has been a growing strength of ours in recent years, while being a separate unit within the commercial disputes department.

"John McMullen's appointment takes employment law to another level for potential and current clients. I am delighted he has agreed to head the department."

Dr McMullen graduated from Emmanuel College Cambridge with first class honours, and was, in his early career, a fellow and lecturer in law at Girton College, Cambridge.