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Even better than the election

13 May 2010 / Ian Smith
Issue: 7417 / Categories: Features , Terms&conditions , Employment
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Ian Smith explains why employment law has captured the nation’s heart & headlines

What has been noticeable about this last month’s action on the employment law front has been the amount of column inches it has produced in the press, in spite of the election coverage. The best example of this is the first case reported here—on its legal face a relatively straightforward point (on which leave to appeal was refused), but in its wider public discussion seeming to be a new Reformation, pitching the state against organised religion. Fortunately, perhaps, burning heretics would now be too wasteful of fuel and leave too large a carbon footprint to be socially acceptable. The second and third cases concern industrial action (always good for column inches), but with very different outcomes. The fourth case reported is much more “law” (the kind we like, as a kind of comfort blanket) but showing that you only resolve one point on a topic like constructive dismissal (ie that the range of reasonable responses test is not to

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Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
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