matthew sheridan

Matthew is regularly instructed to seek and resist injunctions in the Queen’s Bench and Chancery Divisions. He has particular experience in relation to the following:

• Confidential information
• Database Rights
• Springboard relief
• Restrictive covenant injunctions

Matthew is always happy to have preliminary discussions with solicitors who may be assessing whether to seek injunctive relief. He is also happy to guide those with less experience through the process of making or resisting applications.

• Sharpe v The Bishop of Worcester (Birmingham Employment Tribunal) Judgment is awaited following a Pre-Hearing Review to determine whether Employment Tribunals have jurisdiction to hear claims of unfair dismissal and whistleblowing brought by an officeholder clergy of the Church of England. The case is expected to generate appellate authority.
• Law Society of England & Wales v Secretary of State for Justice and another [2010] IRLR 407 The claim was for declaratory relief as to the application of TUPE and the Henke exception for public administrative authorities. Matthew was led by Andrew Stafford QC.
• Sebright v Amscreen Group Limited Matthew was instructed to act on behalf of the respondents (including Sir Alan (now Lord) Sugar) in defending claims of sexual harassment and unfair dismissal brought by a former employee.
• Driscoll v News Group Newspapers Matthew acted successfully for a senior sports journalist who wrote for The News of the World in his claims of disability discrimination and unfair dismissal. The Tribunal awarded just under £800,000. The case attracted considerable media interest including articles in Private Eye and The Guardian [NB. Please ensure that this page links to those articles]

• Lindley v Perry’s Motor Sales Ltd [2008] All ER (D) 32 (TUPE; Transfer of rights and liabilities)
• Gravell v Bexley London Borough Council [2008] All ER (D) 291 (Strike out of discrimination claims)
• Davis v Pyrz [2007] All ER (D) 160 (Employer’s counterclaims; Measure of damages)
• Khan v Premier Private Hire Taxi [2007] All ER (D) 134 (Strike out claims on paper)
• Baron v Bliss Mediation Services [2006] All ER (D) 473 (Remedy of procedural unfairness by internal appeal)
• Mayo-Deman v University of Greenwich [2005] IRLR 845 (Validity of compromise agreements)
• Rabahallah v British Telecom Plc [2005] IRLR 184 (Rules on composition of Employment Tribunals)
• Holland v BHS [2005] All ER (D) 5 (Unfair dismissal- range of reasonable responses)
• Greaves v Banner Business Supplies Ltd [2005] All ER (D) 26 (Indirect sex discrimination- test for justification)
• Maresca v Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre [2004] All ER 254 (Application of the CPR to Employment Tribunal procedure)

Education:

• Called 2000 (Gray’s Inn)
• Queens’ College, University of Cambridge

Professional Association Memberships:

• The Employment Law Bar Association
• The Commercial Bar Association

Lectures & Publications:

Matthew gives lectures and leads seminars on a broad range of employment law topics both in-house for solicitors as well as on public courses. Recent lecture topics include:

• Concurrent claims in Courts and Tribunals
• International Employment Law Issues
• Insolvency and Employment Law

Matthew contributed two chapters to a two volume work entitled “Civil Appeals” edited by Sir Michael Burton (High Court judge and former President of the Employment Appeals Tribunal).

Matthew’s practice encompasses a broad range of disputes from commercial fraud to solicitor’s professional negligence.

Examples of recent work include the following:

• Led by Charles Samek QC in relation to a multi-million pound international arbitration involving claims of breach of contract and misrepresentation arising out of a share purchase agreement
• Acted on behalf of a residential property company in relation to claims for breach of contract and negligence by a property management company
• Advised a senior employee/shareholder in relation to a minority shareholder dispute