News & Events
News & Events
The Court of Appeal has largely upheld the Employment Appeal Tribunal’s decision in Tesco Stores Ltd v Ms K Element & Ors [2026] EWCA Civ 580, dismissing Tesco’s two appeals on all but one ground and endorsing the ET’s reliance on detailed training documentation as the primary evidential basis for determining the “work” of claimants and comparators in mass equal pay proceedings. Keith Bryant KC and Stephen Butler acted for the Harcus claimants (instructed by Harcus Parker Employment) in this landmark appeal, heard over three days in March 2026 before Nugee LJ, Elisabeth Laing LJ and Sir Nicholas Underhill. The claimants are store-based employees of Tesco Stores Ltd, mostly women, who compare their work with that of predominantly male employees…
News 14 May, 2026
After a hotly contested trial, Harry Lambert has won damages for his client, Ms Dakin, after South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was found in breach of duty which lead to her suffering a stroke. Harry Lambert acted for the claimant in Dakin v South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in a complex hearing 3-day hearing in April heard by HHJ Robinson, BEM. Ms Dakin suffered a stroke on 21 July 2016, caused by atrial fibrillation (“AF”). Earlier that year, she had been seen by Dr Quinn at Friarage Hospital with symptoms including palpitations and episodes described as panic attacks. The Trust admitted that Dr Quinn should have arranged a 24-hour ECG monitor, and that failing to do so was…
News 12 May, 2026
Twelve of Outer Temple’s barristers have been ranked in the 2026 Lexology Index: UK Bar, across three categories. The Lexology Index: UK Bar rankings features the leading barristers and solicitors at the UK Bar who stand out for their exceptional advocacy work across an array of practice areas. Therefore, we are delighted to share that twelve of our barristers have been ranked across the Aviation & Travel, Labour Employment & Immigration, and Sports categories, in 2026. Aviation & Travel The following barristers have been ranked in the Aviation & Travel category: Eliot Woolf KC Ben Bradley KC Sarah Crowther KC Gerard McDermott KC Aliyah Akram Daniel Clark Labour Employment & Immigration The following barristers have been ranked in the Labour…
News 1 May, 2026
Success for the claimants on the central questions of diagnosis and quantification of Military Noise Induced Hearing Loss claims Harry Steinberg KC, Aliyah Akram, and Elliott Courcha of Outer Temple Chambers acted in the landmark military deafness litigation, instructed by Simon Ellis of Hugh James, against the MoD. The High Court has today handed down judgment in the Hugh James Military Deafness Litigation. The decision of Garnham J is a decisive victory for the claimant group. The Court rejected the long-standing CLB and LCB methods and preferred the claimants’ case that military NIHL should be diagnosed and quantified by the rM-NIHL developed by Professor Moore and others. The Court’s findings on these and the other generic issues are binding on…
News 24 Apr, 2026
We are delighted to share that thirteen of Outer Temple’s barristers have been included in the 2026 Pro Bono Recognition list for volunteering their time (25 hours or more) to provide free legal assistance to individuals, charities and community groups. Now in its third year, the List, published annually, recognises solicitors, barristers, chartered legal executives, trade mark attorneys, patent attorneys and registered foreign/European lawyers who provided 25 hours or more pro bono legal assistance over the last year. The initiative is supported by the Law Society, the Bar Council, CILEX and all the major pro bono organisations under the aegis of the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Committee. Pro Bono Recognition List 2026 The following members have been recognised in the…
News 21 Apr, 2026
On 7th April 2026, Carin Hunt, led by Alex Haines of 4 Pump Court, appeared before all seven judges of the World Bank Group (WBG) Administrative Tribunal (WBAT) on behalf of the Applicant client. The case, filed in 2022, was brought on the basis that the effect of an internal WBG Staff Rule is indirectly discriminatory on grounds of sex and adversely affects women international civil servants of a certain category grade. The principle of indirect sex discrimination, which is established in several jurisdictions, has not yet been developed in International Administrative Law which is the applicable law to International Organisations including the WBG. Alex led Carin against the Respondent, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), which was represented by the…
News 20 Apr, 2026
Helen Pugh has been published in the April 2026 edition of Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law on “Not your key, not your coin”: the private key and ownership. Ownership, possession and control of an asset have long been intertwined in the public’s consciousness. Albeit implicitly recognising that a possessory title can be displaced by a superior legal title, the old adage “possession is nine-tenths of the law” remains a popular refrain carrying more than a grain of truth. Following a series of high-profile collapses of crypto custodians in “the crypto winter”, a digital equivalent has emerged: “not your key, not your coin”. In this article, Helen considers the private key and its role in legal analysis of…
External Publications, News 20 Apr, 2026
Professional Associate at Outer Temple Chambers, Oliver Agha has been published in IFN’s April 2026 edition (Volume 23, Issue 15). His article is titled ‘The crisis Islamic finance was built to solve – and cannot’. Islamic Finance News (IFN) is a subscription-based publication journal, published weekly, which provides exclusive and comprehensive coverage of the global Islamic financial markets through in-house analysis and expert external contributions. Oliver Agha is a frequent contributor to the publication. The modern financial order is a monument to excess. Global debt now approaches US$350 trillion, built not on production or genuine value creation but on the compounding of obligation – debt layered on debt, governments borrowing to fund consumption, the costs deferred to those least able to bear…
External Publications, News 16 Apr, 2026
Outer Temple Chambers will be once again taking part in this year’s London International Disputes Week (LIDW26) taking place from 1st to 5th June 2026. London International Disputes Week will be returning for it’s 7th year, with this year’s theme being “Tradition, trust and transformation in international dispute resolution”. The week will begin with International Arbitration Day and an opening reception on Monday 1st June 2026, and conclude on Friday 5th June 2026. The event is aimed at delegates from around the world to network, learn and discuss at one of the largest global gatherings of the international disputes community. Outer Temple’s Joshua Ray will be joining a panel session on Thursday 4th June 2026 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm. He…
Naomi Cunningham and Charlotte Elves have been published in Counsel Magazine in article titled ‘Sharing The Advocacy’. In this article, Naomi and Charlotte suggest that giving junior counsel a speaking role should be seen not only as a development opportunity but as something that can genuinely benefit the client. Drawing on their personal experience working together in lengthy employment tribunal hearings, they suggest that sharing advocacy can improve focus, reduce fatigue, and strengthen the overall quality of representation. The article explains that advocacy is often already shared behind the scenes, with juniors helping to draft submissions and prepare cross-examination even when they do not speak in court. Naomi and Charlotte describe how role-playing a witness examination in advance helped refine…
External Publications, News 13 Apr, 2026
We are delighted to announce that James Leonard KC has been nominated Pro Bono KC of the Year at the 2026 Bar Pro Bono Awards for his pro bono work in the landmark case of Buzzard-Quashie v Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police [2025] EWCA Civ 1397. The Bar Pro Bono Awards, celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, recognise and celebrate the remarkable pro bono achievements of the Bar in England and Wales. Each year, the awards shine a light on the exceptional pro bono work carried out by barristers. The 2026 Bar Pro Bono Awards ceremony will be taking place on Tuesday, 19th May at Inner Temple, London. James Leonard KC has been shortlisted for Pro Bono KC of the…
News 8 Apr, 2026
Outer Temple Chambers is pleased to share that Courtney Step-Marsden has returned from maternity leave. Courtney will continue to practice on her core areas including Employment Law, Court of Protection, Education, Private Client, Regulatory and Commercial work. She looks forward to working with her current and new clients on her return. The team at Outer Temple Chambers is pleased to welcome Courtney back to practice, and we also wish her a very warm welcome back to Chambers. Find out more Courtney Step-Marsden’s core practice includes Employment Law, Court of Protection, Education, Private Client, Regulatory and Commercial work. Much of Courtney’s practice stems around disabilities, which is a particular interest of hers. In the Employment Tribunal, she has extensive experience representing claimants and respondents in discrimination proceedings, often with a particular focus on the…
News 7 Apr, 2026
