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13 March 2026 / Ian Smith
Issue: 8153 / Categories: Features , Employment , Tribunals , Disciplinary&grievance procedures
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Employment law brief: 13 March 2026

244394
Old caselaw gets a modern makeover: Ian Smith runs through secondment arrangements, multiple reasons for dismissal, & an appeal unlike any other
  • Recent decisions have highlighted that a change of employer during secondment will be rare without clear contractual novation; collective disciplinary procedures can be contractually incorporated where wording and context support it; and tribunals must identify the employer’s actual principal reason for dismissal, not a reason that could have justified it.
  • On procedural fairness, the Employment Appeal Tribunal reaffirmed that serious defects in handling an appeal can by themselves render a dismissal unfair, even if the outcome might ultimately have been the same.

The four cases considered here are all examples of longstanding issues in individual employment law. Much of the case authority in these areas is quite old, having had the basic rules established years ago, but it is instructive to see some modern instances and the exploration of some detailed points. Also, some of these judgments have made interesting side points. The cases cover

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Charles Russell Speechlys—James Paterson

Charles Russell Speechlys—James Paterson

Charles Russell Speechlys further bolsters Private Equity expertise with the appointment of James Paterson

Ellisons—Samuel Flower

Ellisons—Samuel Flower

Ellisons strengthens Rural Affairs team with senior appointment

Sidley—Carl Hotton

Sidley—Carl Hotton

Sidley adds insurance mergers and acquisitions partner to London office

NEWS
A deputy costs judge correctly exercised his discretion to allow late service rather than strike out the point of dispute, the Court of Appeal has held
Prince Harry, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and five others have lost their case against the publisher of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, in Various Claimants v Associated Newspapers [2026] EWHC 1637 (KB)
Public confidence in the justice system is being undermined by a lack of accessible, useable data, magistrates have warned
The Sentencing Council has launched draft guidelines for facilitation and endangering another person during a sea crossing to the UK
Government proposals to make independent written legal advice a prerequisite for workplace non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) may prove unworkable, according to a senior employment lawyer
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