Employment
Judge attacks law firm’s “unconscionable opportunism”
An employment judge has condemned “unconscionable opportunism” by a Cornish law firm in seeking to “capitalise” on a procedural error by a disabled receptionist.
“AI has its limits”, tribunal tells ex-Axiom Ince employee
Artificial intelligence “has its limitations”, an employment tribunal judge has told a man who used it in a claim against collapsed law firm Axiom Ince.
City firm wins appeal over NQ solicitor’s commission payment
A City law firm has won its appeal against an employment tribunal decision that it pay a newly qualified solicitor nearly £8,000 in commission he said he was owed.
Lawyer sexually harassed female colleague 54 years his junior
A 29-year-old woman was sexually harassed by a lawyer 54 years her senior when he invited her for a meeting in his hotel room, an employment tribunal has ruled.
Solicitor settled employment claim without asking client
A solicitor with mental health issues who settled an employment tribunal claim without consulting her client has been struck off.
Judge right not to recuse herself over work done in practice
A judge was right not to recuse herself from an equal pay case because of her background handling similar cases when in practice as a claimant solicitor, the president of the EAT has ruled.
LeO names firms “in public interest” as it publishes first full decisions
The Legal Ombudsman has published three of its final decisions in full for the first time, including the names of the firms involved, arguing that the move increases transparency.
NDAs to cover up harassment and discrimination “will be void”
The government is to ban non-disclosure agreements covering harassment and discrimination unless the victim themselves asks for one.
Lawyers criticised for injunction application against general counsel
The High Court has criticised lawyers who unnecessarily brought a without-notice application against an in-house solicitor and then did not present the case in a “fair and even-handed manner”.
Investigate “bullying” judge or face judicial review, watchdog told
A group of 10 people is threatening a judicial review against the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office unless it investigates a judge’s alleged misogynistic and bullying behaviour.
Complaint to SRA “cannot form basis of discrimination claim”
A City law firm’s complaint to the SRA about a disabled worker cannot form the basis of a discrimination claim, an employment tribunal has ruled.
“Whistleblowing” paralegal not unfairly dismissed by immigration firm
An employment tribunal has rejected claims from a paralegal that she was unfairly dismissed by her immigration firm for whistleblowing about client-care letters not being sent out.
Law firm “did not fail to safeguard” employee against ex-partner
A Yorkshire law firm did not fail to safeguard a member of staff from her ex-partner, who had become a disgruntled client, an employment tribunal has ruled.
SRA and others obtain restraint order against law student
The Solicitors Regulation Authority and five government department have obtained a restraint order against a law student who has brought multiple employment claims against them.
Employment law platform raises £2m to expand use of GenAI
An employment law platform which has helped 12,000 people bring their own tribunal claims – providing unbundled services – has raised £2m in seed funding.
Blog
Change in regulator shouldn’t make AML less of a priority
While SRA fines for AML have been climbing, many in the profession aren’t confident they will get any relief from the FCA, a body used to dealing with a highly regulated industry.
There are 17 million wills waiting to be written
The main reason cited by people who do not have a will was a lack of awareness as to how to arrange one. As a professional community, we seem to be failing to get our message across.
The case for a single legal services regulator: why the current system is failing
From catastrophic firm collapses to endemic compliance failures, the evidence is mounting that the current multi-regulator model is fundamentally broken.
