2017 – News Round-Up
30 December 2017
Employment Tribunal and EAT fees are unlawful
9th August 2017
On 26 July 2017 the Supreme Court handed down a judgment specifying that Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal fees were unlawful.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service subsequently announced that the fees previously payable upon issuing a claim and prior to a full hearing would no longer be levied.
The Supreme Court determined that the Tribunal fees (introduced in July 2013) were inhibiting access to justice. Whilst it was not necessary to give judgment on the point given the first finding, Lady Hale also expressed a view that the fees were indirectly discriminatory.
Unison had brought the action in 2014 as a judicial review on the introduction of fees. A few months after the introduction of Tribunal fees Unison were able to demonstrate the dramatic decline in the number of claims.
The major question now will be how the rebate process will work for those who paid Tribunal fees in the intervening years (employees, workers and employers).
Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners
7th November 2017
We are delighted to announce that the Firm has again been ranked in the two foremost legal directories: Legal500 and Chambers & Partners.
This will be the fifth year in a row that the Firm has been ranked in the Legal500 with lawyers Gareth Kervin (“very savvy” and “a trusted adviser”) and Lucy Truscott (“a very good technical lawyer”; “can be trusted to deliver keen advice”) individually mentioned for their work.
Gareth has also been recognised in Chambers & Partners for the sixth year in a row.
We are very pleased that the Firm’s focus on client relationships, service levels and technical expertise continues to be recognised.
