Rachael Oakley

Rachael supports US businesses as they expand and grow their global operations.   As a labor & employment law specialist, she helps businesses navigate the global legal HR challenges with confidence.

Rachael is based in Osborne Clarke’s San Francisco office.  She's an English and Welsh qualified lawyer and a registered Foreign Legal Consultant in California. She is a Labor & Employment law specialist.

Prior to moving to the West Coast in 2019, she was based in Osborne Clarke's UK office.  She has a wide range of experience across both contentious and non-contentious employment matters and advises on all aspects of employment law from day-to-day queries, performance management issues, discrimination and grievance cases, dismissal processes, employment documentation and HR data privacy matters.

Rachael is a time-zone friendly contact and connection point for her US clients. She prides herself on giving practical and accessible, user friendly, ‘no nonsense’ pragmatic and commercial advice relating to all aspects of UK employment law and global expansion matters, often working alongside Osborne Clarke colleagues and local counsel for cross-border projects and international employment law issues.

Osborne Clarke is the longest-standing European firm in the US, and has supported hundreds of organisations of multiple shapes and sizes, across numerous sectors, with differing budgets, at various stages of their growth.

Helping you succeed in tomorrow's world

I have been fortunate to work with many exciting companies across different industries and countries, supporting them as they expand and succeed in growing their business globally.

In my area of expertise, a commercial but people focused approach is key to success and I have a passion in supporting businesses navigate this complex balance.  The world of work is changing and I have a keen interest in digitalisation and how this interacts with the world of work, including issues around the use of workplace AI, bias and discrimination and Future of Work concepts more broadly.