MS sufferer sues Wilde Sapte for discrimination

A budding lawyer with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) who was laid off by Wilde Sapte while in hospital, has accused the firm of discrimination.

In one of the first cases of its kind to reach an industrial tribunal, Rubina Cassell is bringing a claim against the firm under the new Disability Discrimination Act.

Stratford Industrial Tribunal heard last week how Cassell was made redundant by the firm a year ago, while working as an assistant in the capital markets department. She told the tribunal that she learned of her redundancy while in hospital.

"Assumptions were being made about my abilities and my general demeanour, which were all clearly tainted by the knowledge that I am suffering from MS," she said.

Her counsel Sandhya Drew said Wilde Sapte had hired two staff to do work that Cassell had been doing. Personnel director David Fowler denied this and said the firm had done everything in its power to help her.

He said the firm made a point of hiring disabled people, but admitted it had no written redundancy policy.

The case was adjourned until April.