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NLJ this week: Rubenstein’s revolution, summary dismissal, off-piste issues & ‘worker’ contracts

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.
11 April 2025
Issue: 8112 / Categories: Legal News , Employment , Tribunals , Disciplinary&grievance procedures , Litigants in person
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In days gone by, judges wrote shorter judgments, barrister Ian Smith, emeritus professor of employment law at the Norwich Law School, UEA, writes in his latest employment law update for NLJ. Surely, they can’t have more time on their hands now?

He expresses his admiration, also, for Michael Rubenstein, editor of the Industrial Relations Law Reports, who received a lifetime contribution award at the LexisNexis Legal Awards last month. ‘Not only did Michael revolutionise the coverage of employment cases, but he also developed a radically new and reader-friendly format, which we now take for granted,’ he writes.

Smith covers the latest tranche of important cases, including two Court of Appeal cases, one on cases of summary dismissal in unfair dismissal law, and the other on the extent to which parties in an employment tribunal case should be kept to an agreed list of issues. Thirdly, he covers a case on the importance of a direct contract in the definition of ‘worker’. 
Issue: 8112 / Categories: Legal News , Employment , Tribunals , Disciplinary&grievance procedures , Litigants in person
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