News & Events
News & Events
Martina Murphy KC was featured as a speaker at the recent online conference ‘Implementing the Employment Rights Act 2025: Where Are We Now?’. Specifically, Martina covered ‘Guaranteed Hours, cancelled shifts and the new contractual rights’. The conference, organised by Michael Rubenstein Conferences, brought together seven of the UK’s top employment law KCs to ‘provide authoritative up-to-date guidance on the Act and its practical implications’. In addition to Martina’s talk, other topics covered include new guidance on harassment, changes to the law on industrial action and trade unions, changes to dismissal law, parental rights and sick pay, and fair pay agreements. For more information on this conference, click here. Find Out More Martina Murphy specialises in employment, group litigation and professional…
News 7 Jul, 2026
Event Date: 11 Jun, 2026
Join us, on 11th June 2026, to hear from our leading pensions law barristers at our fourth annual pensions conference series. You are invited to join the Outer Temple Chambers’ pensions team for a morning of insightful pensions law talks on Thursday 11th June 2026, at The Lanesborough Hotel, London. The event will consist of a series of presentations and panels, from some of our leading area specialists, preceded by a wonderful ‘Lanesborough breakfast’ networking session. Topics of discussion include: TPR and TPO – Some Insights and Trends Reflections on the Places for People Compromise Non-Pensions Cases for Pensions Lawyers Rectification v Corrective Construction Agenda 8:15am – Breakfast8:45am – Conference11am – Close Book Your Place Date: Thursday 11th June 2026 Venue: The…
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
Outer Temple Chambers is incredibly proud of Lydia Seymour and Martina Murphy, sworn in yesterday as members of the King’s Counsel at the KC appointment Ceremony 2026. Outer Temple Chambers were thrilled to celebrate Lydia Seymour KC and Martina Murphy KC being formally appointed as King’s Counsel, yesterday. We are so proud that they have been recognised for their incredible work and demonstrable excellence in advocacy in the higher courts. Lydia and Martina had a day full of celebrations, attending ceremonies at Westminster Hall, The Royal Courts of Justice, and the Rolls Building, before heading back to Chambers for drinks with their friends, families, and colleagues. About Silks Day Silks Day refers to the day new KC’s are officially sworn…
News 24 Mar, 2026
We are overjoyed to share that Lydia Seymour and Martina Murphy have been elevated to the ranks of King’s Counsel (Silk) in the 2025-2026 King’s Counsel competition, announced today. The title of KC is awarded to those who have demonstrated particular skill and expertise in the conduct of advocacy. His Majesty The King has approved the appointment, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, of 96 barristers as new King’s Counsel (KC) in England and Wales. The Lord Chancellor is advised by a selection panel of senior representatives from across the legal sector, civil service, judiciary, and academia. The Lord Chancellor will preside over the award ceremony at Westminster Hall in March 2026, where he will formally bestow the title…
News 23 Jan, 2026
Outer Temple’s David E.Grant KC, Martina Murphy, Will Young and Chaitanya Kediyal named in the Pro Bono Recognition List 2025. Now in its second year, the List recognises solicitors, barristers, chartered legal executives and registered foreign/European lawyers both in private practice and in-house who provided 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. David, Martina, Will and Chaitanya have been recognised for volunteering their time (25 hours or more) to provide free legal assistance to individuals, charities and community groups. Pro-bono legal assistance is an invaluable and longstanding part of our…
External Publications, News 11 Apr, 2025
Martina Murphy and Jessica Franklin have been published in the Discrimination Law Association Briefings paper dissecting the case of British Airways Plc v Rollett & Others [2024] EAT 131. Martina Murphy’s and Jessica Franklin’s article titled ‘A new class of claimant in discrimination law’ was included in the DLA March 2025 Briefing Paper (Volume 84, 1113-1126) following the decision of the EAT in British Airways Plc v Rollett & Others (where they acted for the claimants). The claimants, who numbered 49 at the time of the original preliminary hearing, were Heathrow-based cabin crew. Their claims arose out of restructuring and scheduling changes undertaken by BA in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The claimants alleged that the scheduling changes put those (predominantly non British nationals)…
External Publications, News 3 Apr, 2025
Outer Temple’s Employment Law barristers Martina Murphy and Jessica Franklin have been published in the April 2025 ELA Briefing in an article titled ‘Section 19A of the Equality Act: a new chapter in discrimination legislation.’ Martina Murphy and Jessica Franklin of Outer Temple Chambers have written an article with Clare Armstrong of the Equality and Human Rights Commission for the April 2025 ELA Briefing. In this article, Martina, Jessica and Clare discuss the decision of the EAT in Rollett and the new s19A Equality Act, and its implications for practitioners. Martina and Jessica acted for the claimants in the case of British Airways Plc v Rollett & Others, Minister for Women and Equalities intervening. To read the full article ‘Section 19A…
External Publications, News 1 Apr, 2025
The Employment Tribunal handed down judgment in the case of Mr S Kalar v The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, dismissing all claims brought against the Metropolitan Police. Martina Murphy acted for the successful Respondent. Mr S Kalar had been employed as a police officer by the Metropolitan Police from 1993 until he retired in 2023. Mr Kalar brought wide-ranging discrimination claims under the Equality Act 2010 in relation to both race and disability and whistleblowing claims under the Employment Rights Act 1996 comprising over 270 individual allegations. The Claimant referred to an “an overarching culture of institutional racism, misogyny and disablism” with allegations spanning several years. The case also involved procedural issues concerning grievance handling, medical accommodations due…
News 19 Mar, 2025
We are pleased to announce that Martina Murphy has been shortlisted for Employment ‘Junior Counsel of the Year’ at the International Employment Lawyer (IEL) Awards taking place on Wednesday 13th November at The Dorchester, London. The annual International Employment Lawyer Awards recognises the very best private practice and in-house teams from around the globe. Martina Murphy has been shortlisted for ‘Junior Counsel of the Year’ for 2024. This award recognises the advocacy, investigative, and advisory skills of leading independent junior advocates from around the globe. Nominees will have worked on high-profile, cutting-edge disputes, been instructed in sensitive workplace investigations, or acted on complex advisory matters in the past 12 months. To view a full list of nominees, click here. Find…
News 2 Oct, 2024
Outer Temple’s Martina Murphy was successful on behalf of the claimant in Ms Leeks v University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The EAT’s judgment provides important clarification on whether a refusal to enter judicial mediation or assessment can in principle amount to unreasonable conduct which could result in an award of costs. On behalf of the Claimant, it was argued that the clear ‘direction of travel’ in the Civil Courts and Tribunal is increasingly to encourage alternative dispute resolution (ADR). The Respondent’s arguments included, that a distinction can been made between a mere refusal to engage in judicial mediation and the reasonableness of the decision to do so. Having reviewed some of the key decisions in the Civil Courts…
News 22 Aug, 2024
Martina Murphy successfully represented the Claimants in ‘British Airways Plc v Rollett & Others, Minister for Women and Equalities intervening’; claims for ‘same disadvantage’ indirect discrimination could be brought under s.19 EqA 2010. The President of the EAT, Mrs Justice Eady, has dismissed BA’s appeal and held that indirect discrimination under section 19 Equality Act 2010 allows a claim by someone who does not have the protected characteristic of the disadvantaged group but suffers the same disadvantage. The Respondent (BA) appealed the Employment Tribunal’s finding that it had jurisdiction to hear ‘associative’ indirect discrimination claims under s19 EqA 2010. The EAT considered the CJEU’s judgment in CHEZ Razpredelenie Bulgaria AD v Komisia za zashita ot discriminatsia (Case C-83/14) [2015] IRLR 746 (‘CHEZ’).…
News 21 Aug, 2024
