Ex-Rosenblatt partner loses appeal over 'fist bump' race discrimination claim

A former partner at Rosenblatt has failed in his attempt to overturn an employment tribunal ruling that rejected claims of race discrimination and harassment against the City firm and its founder Ian Rosenblatt.

The Employment Appeal Tribunal dismissed the appeal brought by Noel Deans, a former employment law partner at the firm, finding the original tribunal had made no arguable errors of law.

The underlying 2024 case drew attention because of several allegations made by Deans, who was the firm’s first black partner when he joined in 2017.

Among them was a claim that Rosenblatt subjected him to race related harassment by greeting him with a fist bump rather than a professional handshake on his first day at work.

Deans also alleged race related harassment after then-chief executive Nicola Foulston used the N-word during a discussion about the firm’s planned IPO at a dinner in 2018.

Deans resigned in February 2020, alleging race discrimination.

Tribunal findings upheld

In 2024, an employment tribunal dismissed all of the claims on their merits, apart from the complaint relating to Foulston’s language which had been brought too late.

Regarding the fist bump allegation, the tribunal described the gesture as a “misjudgement” and “insensitive” but found it did not cross the legal threshold for unlawful race related harassment.

Deans appealed the ruling to the Employment Appeal Tribunal.

The EAT upheld the original decision, describing the earlier judgment as “careful and detailed”.

“It is not the role of the EAT to second guess the Employment Tribunal’s fact finding,” the appeal judgment said. “The EAT can only intervene if there is an error of law in the judgment of an Employment Tribunal.”

Rosenblatt fallout

The original claim was brought against RBL Law Limited, the holding company behind Rosenblatt.

The firm listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2018, rebranded to RBG Holdings in 2019, and later acquired London firm Memery Crystal.

The group later collapsed in 2025, with Rosenblatt subsequently sold back to founder Ian Rosenblatt and continuing as Rosenblatt Law.