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3:00pm - 5:00pm, 26 February 2026
(Europe/London)
(Europe/London)
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Event Details
Legal & Compliance
Thursday 26th February
Registrations and refreshments 2:30pm-3:00pm
Meeting: 3:00pm-5:00pm
Venue: Trowers & Hamlins, 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ
Networking drinks from 5:00pm
Key Takeaways
- Clearer understanding of what checks need to be made on umbrella companies being used
- Clearer understanding of JSL and what it means for contract recruiters
- Understanding the impact of the ERA for recruitment business owners, both for their own employees and for the clients they recruit for
Meeting Agenda
Welcome & Introduction
Dawn Ford, Head of Legal, Risk & Compliance, Opus Talent Solutions
APSCo Update
Shazia Imtiaz, General Counsel, APSCo UK
Legal Update - Navigating the umbrella regulations and the ERA
Nicola Ihnatowicz, Employment Law Partner, Trowers & Hamlins
As the effects of the Employment Rights Act and the new umbrella regulations continue to be felt by recruiters, we ask how companies are adapting to the changes and how it is affecting their client’s hiring strategy. Is it prompting a shift to alternative hiring models and/or a more cautious approach to recruiting and what opportunities does it open to recruiters looking to maximise the value they offer.
Our speakers will explore these issues and offer lived experience of changes they are seeing and what best practice now looks like.
Panel Discussion - The key changes in legislation with the biggest impact in 2026
Shazia Imtiaz, General Counsel, APSCo UK
Sam Cox, Commercial Director, Qdos
Nicola Ihnatowicz, Employment Law Partner, Trowers & Hamlins
Our panelists will discuss the key changes in legislation with the biggest impact throughout 2026, in particular, The Employment Rights Act:
- What it means to you
- What it means to your clients
- What affect it is having on recruitment as a whole
They will explore the challenges for HR and recruitment inherent in the ERA and what potential opportunities these present for recruitment companies - for both perm and contract recruitment.
- Which parts of the ERA are having the most impact on the businesses you talk to?
- What changes are you seeing in the way companies are approaching their hiring strategy in light of the ERA? – are they more cautious?
- Are you seeing a preference for temp/contractor over perm?
- Has it affected the rebate period you offer client?
Leader Exchange
Maximise your time at this meeting with our Leader Exchange session - this is designed to deliver tangible outcomes. Guided by experienced business professionals, this discussion will ensure you gain real value from your attendance. You’ll collaborate with sector peers to tackle key challenges and leave with clear, actionable strategies you can implement immediately. This session isn’t just a conversation, it’s designed to be a catalyst for measurable business impact.
Speakers
Shazia Imtiaz
APSCo, General Counsel
Shazia is General Counsel and manages the Legal and Compliance team, joining APSCo in 2021. Shazia is a UK qualified lawyer with over 15 years extensive international expertise gained in both private practice and in house. She has worked across diverse industries including the recruitment sector, overseeing corporate, commercial and employment law matters.
Shazia provides expert guidance to members and trusted partners on legal issues and regulatory changes affecting the industry, overseeing our members’ and trusted partners’ adherence to our codes of conduct, and delivering legal services to members including model documents, precedents, legal updates, and the legal helpdesk. She works alongside Tania Bowers on APSCo's public affairs, representing our members’ interests in consultations with the government and other bodies on regulatory change.
Nicola Ihnatowicz
Trowers & Hamlins, Partner, Employment and Pensions
Nicola Ihnatowicz is a partner in the Employment and Pensions Department at Trowers & Hamlins LLP, and specialises in all aspects of human resources and employment law for employers and recruitment businesses.
Nicola specialises in supporting businesses to become "Employers of the Future". Her expertise includes advising on sustainable workforces, achieving inclusivity and business transformation. She also supports employers with difficult employee relations matters, such as changing terms and conditions, managing stress at work, reasonable adjustments, discrimination and harassment investigations, and restructures and redundancies.
Nicola regularly advises and represents clients on Employment Tribunal matters and has recently dealt with complex claims for discrimination and harassment, holiday pay, whistleblowing and workplace stress. She is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences, including the firm's weekly online Q&A "Trowers Tuesday".
Nicola chairs the firm's Social Impact Committee and has experience as a charity trustee.
Sam Cox
Qdos, Commercial Director
Sam has nearly two decades of experience at Qdos and has been Commercial Director since 2015. Rising through roles in account management, tax, insurance broking, and underwriting, Sam brings a rare combination of strategic vision and technical expertise to the business. He is a Chartered member of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and plays a central role in developing award-winning insurance solutions tailored to contractors, umbrella companies, and the businesses that engage them. He works closely with recruitment businesses and umbrella providers to design risk mitigation strategies across insurance, contracts, and IR35 compliance. Known for his deep understanding of the contracting sector and the commercial challenges it faces, Sam is a trusted advisor and experienced speaker on compliance, recruitment company risk, and contingent workforce protection.
