Spotlight today received a decisive ruling in the High Court, with a judgment delivered in its favour in the case of Equity & others vs Talent Systems Europe Ltd t/a Spotlight. The ruling, handed down by Her Honourable, Justice Howells, reaffirms Spotlight’s position as a directory service and software provider used by performers for their marketing and advertising needs and unequivocally finds that Spotlight is not, and never has been, an employment agency.
The case centred around whether the provision of software services to freelance professionals to enable them to advertise their own skills and availability met the definition of an employment agency. Spotlight has consistently maintained that it does not find work for subscribers, for which purpose they themselves either hire an agent or self-represent.
“I am pleased that the High Court has shared our long stated and widely shared position that Spotlight is not an employment agency,” said Spotlight Managing Director, Matt Hood. “This judgment secures the services we have offered actors for almost a century, and is a testament to the integrity of our operations and the strength of our legal standing. It validates our commitment to providing equitable access for performers to this entertainment industry and allows us to focus fully again on providing a great service to our members.”
“Any determination that Spotlight was an agency would have been more than just a blow to common sense; it would have disempowered actors from choosing how they advertise their services and build their careers.”
“Equity’s decision to launch legal proceedings against Spotlight has been an enormous waste of both organisations’ time and resources – and actors’ subscriptions – when the industry faces a raft of external challenges that require a collective, measured response. Spotlight has repeatedly called for dialogue to avoid costly legal proceedings.
“We strongly believe that Equity launched cynical, performative and expensive legal proceedings against Spotlight as a publicity stunt with the objective of damaging its oldest ally. Equity members should rightly question the decisions made in their name that have led to this unnecessary action.
“We urge Equity to return to the dialogue between our two organisations that endured for the 97 years prior to this action so that we can continue working together to ensure that performers can benefit from sustainable and fulfilling professional careers, and that they are rightly recognised as crucial to the success of the creative industries.”
