Oliver Isaacs

Call 2000
Email oliver.isaacs@3pb.co.uk
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Having read Politics at Newcastle, Oliver undertook a conversion course in Law in which he obtained a distinction. Prior to coming to the Bar, Oliver worked in a niche entertainment and media law firm carrying out a broad range of civil and commercial litigation.

Oliver is currently practising in most areas of Chambers' work with a particular emphasis in commercial and common law work including contract, sale of goods and employment.

Oliver has handled professional negligence cases relating to solicitors, builders, and architects, on behalf of both claimants and defendants, and is well versed in the particular issues relating to the quantification of damages and evaluation of "lost chances" which arise in such cases.

For more information see his specialist profiles.

Notable Cases

Fullerton v Interrights (2010) UKEAT/0251/09 -
an appeal on when an act of discrimination is said to be continuing and whether such a decision should be dealt with at a PHR rather than at a full hearing.

Gladwell v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (2007) ICR 264 -
an appeal on (i) when a Judge can sit alone under ETA 1996, s4 and (ii) whether a controlling shareholder is an employee.

Hosso v ECM (No 1) (2008) All ER D 160 -
an appeal which involved the question whether a grievance raising complaints about basic pay and share options was sufficient under the EqPA 1970 to cover a claim about a bonus.

Hosso v ECM (No 2) (2011) EqLR 328 -
an appeal that addressed the question of whether a share option scheme was regulated by the contract of employment so as to be considered under the EqPA 1970 or whether it was discretionary (and therefore not regulated) so as to be a claim under the SDA 1970.

In Hosso v European Credit Management Ltd
the Court of Appeal has held that an employment tribunal erred when finding that a claim concerning discrimination in the allocation of share options could proceed under the Equal Pay Act 1970 rather than the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. The case is of some importance on the demarcation between equal pay and sex discrimination. Oliver Isaacs appeared for European Credit Limited in this long running dispute which resulted in the successful resistance of a claim valued at over £4 million.

In Walsh v Yellow Pages Sales Limited
In Walsh v Yellow Pages Sales Limited (sub nom Conant v Arriva Trains Wales) the EAT has reviewed the authorities on when it is admissable for the Employment Tribunal to substitute its own view of the fairness for dismissal for that of the employer. Oliver Isaacs appeared for Mr Walsh (in the EAT but not the ET) in successfully resisting Yellow Pages' appeal.

Mowels v Vox Displays Limited (2007) All ER (D) 40 -
an appeal on whether the statutory grievance procedures were required to be invoked where the complaint was one of breach of contract.

Rehman v Benfield (2006) EWCA Civ 1392
(Acknowledgment of Title)

Royal Bank of Scotland v Wilson (2009) UKEAT/0363/08
- an appeal addressing the difficult question of bias of the tribunal.

Spicknell v The Wilts and Dorset Bus Company (2010) UKEATPA/1715/09 -
an appeal on amendments to the ET1.