A male solicitor in his mid-50s who alleged he was overlooked in favour of female and younger colleagues has lost a claim in the employment tribunal.

Employment tribunal document

Source: Alamy

Antony Coldridge had submitted he was unfairly treated by south England firm Just Family Law after he was served written notice of dismissal in June 2021 and put on three-month gardening leave.

The tribunal heard he was summarily dismissed in July 2021 and he claimed this was for whistleblowing on concerns about a potential breach of data protection requirements. The firm said he was dismissed for gross misconduct because he made ‘derogatory and unprofessional remarks’ about its owner to a courier calling to collect work items.

The firm heard that Coldridge had started working with Just Family Law through an agency and was not directly employed until February 2020. After his dismissal he contended he had been treated ‘less favourably’ than female and/or younger employees by not being provided with secretarial support and being exposed to the risk of redundancy ahead of others.

At the start of a preliminary hearing to decide on outstanding issues, Coldridge accepted he did not have two years continuity of employment with the firm and could not pursue an unfair dismissal claim. He also dropped allegations of sex and age discrimination but continued to claim on the basis he was dismissed for making protected disclosures. He also told the tribunal he wanted to make a claim that he was dismissed because he was a British Army reservist.

Coldridge submitted he was summarily dismissed after sending a letter with disclosures to the firm’s solicitors. But Employment Judge Craft pointed out an ‘immediate difficulty’ in that he had been put on notice of redundancy weeks before the letter, so the contents ‘could not possibly’ have been a reason for the firm’s decision.

The judge said in any case that the letter did not disclose information and that Coldridge had ‘no relevant knowledge’ of the business relationships he was talking about.

‘There is no reasonable prospect of him being able to establish that his dismissal was brought forward to an earlier date,’ the judge concluded. 

The remaining claim was struck out and Coldridge, who is now self-employed, was ordered to pay £1,000 towards the firm’s costs.