diff --git a/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/util/RMCollectionUtils.java b/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/util/RMCollectionUtils.java
index a1a85912cd..f1be9d3ced 100644
--- a/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/util/RMCollectionUtils.java
+++ b/rm-server/source/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/util/RMCollectionUtils.java
@@ -63,6 +63,40 @@ public final class RMCollectionUtils
         return duplicateElems;
     }
 
+    /** Returns the head (element at index 0) of the provided List.
+     *
+     * @param l the list whose head is sought.
+     * @param <T> the type of the List.
+     * @return the head element or {@code null} for the empty list.
+     * @throws NullPointerException if l is {@code null}
+     */
+    public static <T> T head(List<T> l)
+    {
+        return l.isEmpty() ? null : l.get(0);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the tail of the provided List i&#46;e&#46; the sublist which contains
+     * all elements of the given list except the {@link #head(List) head}.
+     *
+     * @param l the list whose tail is sought.
+     * @param <T> the type of the List.
+     * @return the tail sublist, which will be an empty list if the provided list had only a single element.
+     * @throws NullPointerException if l is {@code null}
+     * @throws UnsupportedOperationException if the provided list was empty.
+     */
+    public static <T> List<T> tail(List<T> l)
+    {
+        if (l.isEmpty())
+        {
+            throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Cannot get tail of empty list.");
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            return l.subList(1, l.size());
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * This enum represents a change in an entry between 2 collections.
      */
diff --git a/rm-server/unit-test/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/util/RMCollectionUtilsUnitTest.java b/rm-server/unit-test/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/util/RMCollectionUtilsUnitTest.java
index 6f7d3f8c87..76bcb48cbd 100644
--- a/rm-server/unit-test/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/util/RMCollectionUtilsUnitTest.java
+++ b/rm-server/unit-test/java/org/alfresco/module/org_alfresco_module_rm/util/RMCollectionUtilsUnitTest.java
@@ -20,8 +20,13 @@
 package org.alfresco.module.org_alfresco_module_rm.util;
 
 import static java.util.Arrays.asList;
+import static java.util.Collections.emptyList;
+import static org.alfresco.module.org_alfresco_module_rm.test.util.ExceptionUtils.expectedException;
 import static org.alfresco.module.org_alfresco_module_rm.util.RMCollectionUtils.diffKey;
+import static org.alfresco.module.org_alfresco_module_rm.util.RMCollectionUtils.head;
+import static org.alfresco.module.org_alfresco_module_rm.util.RMCollectionUtils.tail;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertNull;
 
 import org.alfresco.module.org_alfresco_module_rm.util.RMCollectionUtils.Difference;
 
@@ -75,4 +80,18 @@ public class RMCollectionUtilsUnitTest
         assertEquals(Difference.UNCHANGED, diffKey(mapA, mapB, -1));
         assertEquals(Difference.CHANGED,   diffKey(mapA, mapB, 3));
     }
+
+    @Test public void tailsOfLists()
+    {
+        assertEquals(asList(2), tail(asList(1, 2)));
+        assertEquals(emptyList(), tail(asList(1)));
+        expectedException(UnsupportedOperationException.class, () -> tail(emptyList()));
+    }
+
+    @Test public void headsOfLists()
+    {
+        assertEquals("a", head(asList("a", "b")));
+        assertEquals("a", head(asList("a")));
+        assertNull(head(emptyList()));
+   }
 }