The employment team at Geldards law firm has joined forces with NeuroUniverse to meet the growing demand from businesses for practical, legally compliant solutions to better support neurodivergent employees and reduce disability discrimination.
Geldards and neurodiversity training specialist NeuroUniverse will work together to ensure their advice and training reflect best practices and the latest employment law developments.
The partnership comes as Ministry of Justice data indicates a sharp rise in employment tribunal cases relating to neurodiversity.
Neurodivergent employees
Working well together: Supporting neurodivergent employees (masterclass)
In 2024, tribunals heard 102 cases where neurodiversity was cited as a factor in alleged discrimination, a 46% increase compared with 2020. Meanwhile, the number of disability discrimination cases referred to Acas increased by 30% between 2023 and 2024.
Lowri Phillips, partner at Geldards, said that over the past year, she had seen a significant rise in clients seeking advice on managing neurodivergent employees, particularly concerning grievances linked to a lack of reasonable adjustments.
“Many organisations struggle with confidence and knowledge in this area, meaning issues are often ignored until they escalate into formal disputes,” she said. “There is an urgent need to raise awareness and equip employers with the right tools to provide early support before conflicts arise.”
Hayley Harding, director of NeuroUniverse, added: “Awareness of neurodiversity has improved dramatically in recent years, leading to more employees disclosing diagnoses and understanding their legal rights.
“Employers must be able to have open and informed conversations about support and workplace adjustments. Our training empowers businesses to remove barriers and create inclusive workplaces.”
Geldards, which has offices in London, Cardiff and the East Midlands, said that several factors are driving the rise in disability discrimination claims linked to neurodiversity. Autism diagnoses increased by 787% between 1998 and 2018, partly due to better recognition of neurodivergence in women and ethnic minorities, and improved NHS pathways for adults.
Younger employees, in particular, are also more likely to disclose neurodivergence and seek reasonable adjustments.
NeuroUniverse was founded by Harding, a dyslexic former Google-trained solicitor, and writer and journalist Jessie Hewitson, who is autistic and has ADHD. Their first-hand experiences of being neurodivergent in the workplace inspired them to launch the company, which specialises in neurodiversity training for senior managers, business leaders, and event speakers.
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