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No mention yet of the Working Time Directive, yet it is a primary objective of the directive to protect employed staff against being overworked in the way Ms James clearly was. And, though signing in and signing out may be seen as somewhat degrading for professionals in a solicitor's office, this at least has one benefit, namely providing objective evidence that an employer who required its staff to work "every weekend and long hours during the week" was breaching the directive. A good employer has no need to crack the whip in this way and will get the best out of staff by treating them fairly and with the respect they deserve, including, when the need arises (only occasionally rather than routinely in a well managed business), a willingness on their part to go the extra mile in a case, out of professional pride. Any employer who engenders actual fear in staff through the 'jump to it and work your fingers to the bone or you're out' attitude deserves