09 February 2012
EAT finds law firm guilty of sexual orientation discrimination
In Bivonas LLP v Bennett [2011] UKEAT 0254/11/3101, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) held that a law firm discriminated against a lawyer on the basis of sexual orientation when a partner sent a memo falsely implying that the lawyer only selected gay barristers and suggesting that he be sacked.
The EAT agreed the content of the memo was “a professional slur of the utmost gravity”. It also held the firm’s conduct of his grievance was discriminatory.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission funded the defence of the lawyer, Lee Bennett, against the law firm’s appeal.
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