U.K. employment law boutique Sacker & Partners has launched a stand-alone business offering project management, secretarial support and corporate governance advice to companies and pension plan trustees. Sackers Support Services was established Wednesday as a wholly owned subsidiary of the law firm, one of the U.K.’s most profitable.Visit International News

Hewlett-Packard’s legal team will have a hard time persuading a judge to stop former CEO Mark Hurd from becoming president of Oracle Corp., employment law experts say. HP sued Hurd on Tuesday, claiming that he violated a confidentiality provision of his severance agreement by accepting the post at Oracle

In a case of first impression, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled that a plaintiff who successfully sues for sexual harassment under the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act cannot also recover damages for a common-law claim of negligent supervision and retention. Two employment law experts say the 7-2 decision in Waffle House v. Cathie Williams is a huge win for employers and an “appalling” loss for employees who are victims of sexual harassment at work.

Religious schools don’t have a free pass to ignore a key federal employment law based on a “ministerial exception.” At least not in the 6th Circuit, according to a ruling Tuesday in a case of first impression. Kindergarten teacher Cheryl Perich says she was unlawfully fired by Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran School in Redford, Mich., after she suddenly became ill — she was later diagnosed with narcolepsy — and went on disability leave.

The U.S. Supreme Court begins its term Oct