Us Too? Bullying and Harassment in the Legal Profession – International Bar Association

‘The legal profession has a problem. In 2018, the International Bar Association (IBA) and market research company Acritas conducted the largest-ever global survey on bullying and sexual harassment in the profession. Nearly 7,000 individuals from 135 countries responded to the survey, from across the spectrum of legal workplaces: law firms, in-house, barristers’ chambers, government and the judiciary. The results provide empirical confirmation that bullying and sexual harassment are rife in the legal profession.’

Full press release

International Bar Association, 15th May 2019

Source: www.ibanet.org/Default.aspx

‘Bullying’ libel judge’s dismissal of claim reversed on appeal – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Appeal judges have strongly criticised the “surprising and troubling” conduct of a High Court judge towards a litigant in person during a defamation hearing, saying he “cast off the mantle of impartiality”. Ruling in Serafin v Malkiewicz and Others, Lord Justice Lewison, Lord Justice McCombe and Lord Justice Haddon-Cave allowed an appeal against Mr Justice Jay’s dismissal of a libel claim against a London Polish-language newspaper.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 20th May 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Man who ‘confessed’ to raping woman in Facebook message was not prosecuted – The Independent

‘A man who “confessed” on Facebook Messenger to raping a woman in her sleep will not be prosecuted because authorities think there is “no realistic prospect of conviction”, The Independent can reveal.’

Full Story

The Independent, 19th May 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘I was sworn at and told I was useless’: law’s problem with bullying at work – The Guardian

Posted May 16th, 2019 in barristers, bullying, law firms, legal profession, news, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘A recent survey has revealed experiences of aggressive behaviour and incivility from bosses and colleagues.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bullying and sexual harassment rife among lawyers, global survey finds – The Guardian

‘Bullying and sexual harassment are rife in the legal profession, according to a global survey that identifies Britain as somewhere such behaviour is prevalent.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 15th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK universities pay out £90m on staff ‘gagging orders’ in past two years – The Guardian

Posted April 17th, 2019 in bullying, disclosure, harassment, news, non-disclosure agreements, universities by tracey

‘UK universities have spent nearly £90m on payoffs to staff that come with “gagging orders” in two years, raising fears that victims of misconduct at higher education institutions are being silenced.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 17th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Instances of judges bullying female barristers exaggerated, says LCJ – Legal Futures

‘The problem of male judges bullying female barristers in court has been exaggerated, the Lord Chief Justice suggested yesterday.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 4th April 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Top judge attacks growing ‘abuse’ of parliamentary privilege – The Guardian

‘The lord chief justice has accused MPs and peers of endangering the rule of law through repeated “abuse” of parliamentary privilege to name individuals granted anonymity in court cases.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 9th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Watchdog dismisses Sir Philip Green complaint against Peter Hain – The Guardian

‘The House of Lords standards watchdog has dismissed a complaint against the former Labour cabinet minister Peter Hain for using parliamentary privilege to name the Topshop tycoon Sir Philip Green as the businessman at the centre of harassment allegations.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 8th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Social media firms to be penalised for not removing child abuse – The Guardian

‘New laws proposed to tackle social media companies streaming child abuse, extremism, terrorist attacks and cyberbullying have been welcomed by senior police and children’s charities.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 8th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Frail’ pensioner who beat wheelchair-bound husband to death with a pole cleared of murder – Daily Telegraph

‘A “frail” pensioner who beat her wheelchair-bound husband to death with a wooden pole after suffering decades of “hell” and abuse has been cleared of his murder.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 1st April 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Syrian refugee ‘attack’: 16-year-old boy given police caution over incident at Huddersfield school – The Independent

‘A boy accused of attacking a Syrian refugee at their school in Huddersfield has been given a police caution.’

Full Story

The Independent, 29th March 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

High Court: Media accused barrister of making death threats – Legal Futures

Posted March 26th, 2019 in barristers, bullying, defamation, harassment, media, news by sally

‘Barrister Barbara Hewson was accused by The Times and MailOnline of making death threats to a law student and subjecting him to “repeated acts of harassment and online bullying”, the High Court has held.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 26th March 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

CQC rebuked for failure to prosecute charity over care home abuse – The Guardian

‘The health and social care regulator has been heavily criticised for issuing only a fixed penalty notice to a charity that ran a care home where autistic people were taunted, bullied and humiliated.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Autism charity escapes prosecution over care home bullying – The Guardian

Posted March 8th, 2019 in autism, bullying, care homes, news, penalties, prosecutions by sally

‘A charity that ran a care home where autistic people were taunted, bullied and humiliated by staff has escaped prosecution over its failings.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 7th March 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mental capacity for handling the internet: Court of Protection – UK Human Rights Blog

‘A (Capacity: Social Media and Internet Use: Best Interests) [2019] EWCOP 2. In this case Cobb J was asked to make declarations under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 regarding a learning disabled man’s capacity to use the internet and social media.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 27th February 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Criminal investigation launched into circumstances which led to soldier’s death at Deepcut Barracks – Daily Telegraph

‘Surrey Police have opened a criminal investigation into the circumstances which led to the death of a soldier who was kicked and punched by an instructor days before his suicide.’

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Daily Telegraph, 26th February 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Bar Council urges barristers to call out judicial bullying – Legal Futures

Posted February 25th, 2019 in barristers, bullying, codes of practice, complaints, judges, judiciary, news by tracey

‘The Bar Council has called on barristers to take action over bullying by judges that they experience or witness, and is looking at a new approach to overcome reluctance to report incidents.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 25th February 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Bullying and sexual harassment ‘endemic’ in NHS hospitals – The Guardian

‘Hundreds of doctors have been accused of bullying and sexually harassing colleagues in the past five years, prompting concern that a culture of intimidation is thriving in the NHS.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th February 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

“Bullied and manipulated” young solicitor struck off – Legal Futures

Posted January 29th, 2019 in bullying, disciplinary procedures, news, solicitors, whistleblowers by sally

‘A young solicitor who was “deceived, pressured, bullied and manipulated” has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT), despite being the one to blow the whistle on misconduct in her firm.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 29th January 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk