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Unhappy New Year

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Chris Bryden & Michael Salter start 2011 by batting off derogatory claims

As the clock turns to 2011 yet another salvo is fired in the ongoing battle against lawyers and their kind. This time the target was firmly trained on employment lawyers, with an article in The Times on 4 January 2011 by Helen Giles, an HR director, which was excoriating in its account of the “legal extortion” practised by employment tribunals and the “parasitical” lawyers bringing claims therein.

The authors make no secret of the fact that one of them practises exclusively in the field of employment while employment law represents a significant part of that of the other. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that the “parasites” might wish to respond. However, notwithstanding the vested interest of the authors in the practice of employment law, the position set out by Ms Giles in her article is not recognised by these practitioners.

False

In parts the article is simply wrong. For instance in proposing reform it advocates that

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Constantine Law—Anita Vadgama

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New senior partner hire at consultant-led employment / regulatory law firm

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NEWS
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
The treasury has sought to reassure the legal profession over concerns about cost, bureaucracy and independence when the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) takes over regulation of anti-money laundering compliance
One out of two barristers has come under pressure from clients to act unethically, according to the results of this year’s Barristers’ Working Lives survey
The Court of Appeal has held the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) was wrong to set aside a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decision on unfair pricing of phenytoin, an epilepsy drug
A flagship employment law reform is due to come into effect on 1 July, extending unfair dismissal rights to employees after six months in their job instead of two years
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