Serial litigants whose employment tribunal claims are costing employers and taxpayers millions of pounds in defence costs and court time are to be targeted through a new database.

Solicitor Gordon Turner of Partners Employment Lawyers and barrister Damian McCarthy of Cloisters chambers have set up the online service to record details of serial litigants.

Details will be derived from information in the public domain, such as tribunal decisions and costs orders, and held in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Employers and legal representatives who suspect a litigant is vexatious can contact the database for confirmation or otherwise. Turner said: ‘The decision to create our own database was prompted by a serial litigant who has filed about 50 claims for age discrimination at tribunals throughout the country, including one against a client of mine. The litigant tells me he is earning good money because many employers prefer to settle rather than spend time and money defending the claim.

‘The irony is, the litigant doesn’t even apply for the jobs – he just puts in the claim.’

Practitioners who have identified a serial litigant can visit www.serial-­litigants.com or contact Gordon Turner on gordon@partnerslaw.co.uk.