header-logo header-logo

Illuminating iniquity: what’s confidential?

31 January 2019 / Shane Crawford
Issue: 7826 / Categories: Features , Employment , Discrimination
printer mail-detail

Is evidence which discloses iniquity still considered legally privileged? Shane Crawford looks at the facts

  • Examines a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal case in which the limits of legal privilege were considered in circumstances where the contents of the document in question disclosed possible iniquity.

In a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decision, X v Y Ltd UKEAT/0261/17/JOJ, the limits of legal privilege were considered in circumstances where the contents of the document disclosed potential iniquity.

Evidence to which legal privilege attaches may still be used as evidence in the employment tribunal if the advice provided within facilitates an iniquity.

‘Advice sought or given for the purpose of iniquity is not privileged’: Barclays Bank plc v Eustice [1995] 4 All ER 511, [1995] 1 WLR 1238.

Sources of evidence may be pertinent—if not essential—to a claim, but their admissibility is thwarted by their classification as being privileged. Such a situation arose in X v Y Ltd , where an email between lawyers for the respondent was judged to be contemplating the

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gilson Gray—Linda Pope

Gilson Gray—Linda Pope

Partner joins family law team inLondon

Jackson Lees Group—five promotions

Jackson Lees Group—five promotions

Private client division announces five new partners

Taylor Wessing—Max Millington

Taylor Wessing—Max Millington

Banking and finance team welcomes partner in London

NEWS
The landmark Supreme Court’s decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd—along with Rukhadze v Recovery Partners—redefine fiduciary duties in commercial fraud. Writing in NLJ this week, Mary Young of Kingsley Napley analyses the implications of the rulings
Barristers Ben Keith of 5 St Andrew’s Hill and Rhys Davies of Temple Garden Chambers use the arrest of Simon Leviev—the so-called Tinder Swindler—to explore the realities of Interpol red notices, in this week's NLJ
Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys [2025] has upended assumptions about who may conduct litigation, warn Kevin Latham and Fraser Barnstaple of Kings Chambers in this week's NLJ. But is it as catastrophic as first feared?
Lord Sales has been appointed to become the Deputy President of the Supreme Court after Lord Hodge retires at the end of the year
Limited liability partnerships (LLPs) are reportedly in the firing line in Chancellor Rachel Reeves upcoming Autumn budget
back-to-top-scroll