A conveyancer’s claim for unfair dismissal has been struck out by an employment tribunal for being “scandalous, unreasonable or vexatious” in the way it was conducted.
Daniel Arthur, a former employee of Newbold Solicitors in Cwmbran, had a “long and protracted history of non-compliance” with tribunal orders and correspondence, Employment Judge Shotter found in the second of two tribunal hearings.
Arthur’s first claim of unlawful discrimination had been dismissed in September 2025 after he was found to have been employed by Newbold Solicitors for less than two years and had failed to give an acceptable reason as to why the complaint should not be struck out.
In a second hearing, held in June this year, Arthur’s claim of unlawful disability discrimination was also struck out. Summarising the reasons for dismissing the claim, the judge referred to evidence from Arthur’s LinkedIn account which indicated he “had been and was working as a conveyancer for at least two firms of solicitors”.
On the face of the evidence, the judge said, “there was nothing to prevent the claimant from complying with case management orders and responding to the tribunal’s communications”.
In the written decision, Judge Shotter noted: “The claimant relies on bipolar disorder, and disability is disputed. The claimant was ordered to send to the respondent an impact statement and medical records no later than 25 February 2026 in anticipation of the final hearing listed over four days starting on the 1 June 2026. This information has never been provided.”
Striking out the claim of unlawful disability discrimination, Judge Shotter concluded: “The respondent has satisfied me today that the claimant’s conduct as recorded above was both scandalous, unreasonable or vexatious conduct”.
She added: “I take the view that the claimant, by his behaviour culminating in a total disregard for case management orders and earlier strike out warnings given by the respondent and tribunal…has forfeited his right to a trial.”
Acknowledging the “high public interest in determining disability claims”, Judge Shotter noted the decision to dismiss Arthur had been made before he took sick leave from his role with Newbold Solicitors.
“The claim of unlawful disability discrimination is struck out”, she concluded.
