Lady Hale: Courts should learn from tribunals on diversity – Legal Futures

Posted November 12th, 2019 in diversity, judiciary, news, tribunals by sally

‘Lady Hale, president of the Supreme Court, has called on the courts to learn lessons from the tribunal service in improving the diversity of judges.’

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Legal Futures, 12th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Speech by Mrs Justice Carr DBE: Women in Commercial Law – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

‘Speech by Mrs Justice Carr DBE: Women in Commercial Law.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 6th November 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Tribunal judiciary “most diverse in Europe” – Litigation Futures

‘The tribunal judiciary is not only representative of the British population but “arguably the most diverse judiciary in Europe and perhaps beyond”, the Senior President of Tribunals has said.’

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Litigation Futures, 5th November 2019

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

‘I was told women couldn’t survive as barristers’ – BBC News

Posted November 4th, 2019 in barristers, diversity, equality, judges, judiciary, news, women by sally

‘Two senior judges have spoken about the challenges they have faced in the justice system.’

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BBC News, 4th November 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hallett urges ‘zero tolerance’ on sexual harassment – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A senior judge has called on all organisations to provide a mentor for employees affected by sexual harassment or discrimination. Lady Justice Hallett told an event celebrating women in the judiciary last night that many women who qualified in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s suffered sexual assault, discrimination and being patronised, but kept their heads down and hoped eventually their abilities would be recognised. They feared, “as some women today still fear”, they would be considered a trouble maker and their careers would suffer if they reported anyone.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 25th October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Legal profession excels in social mobility league table – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 8th, 2019 in diversity, government departments, law firms, legal profession, news by tracey

‘The legal profession once again dominates a league table of 75 employers doing the most to improve social mobility – occupying four spots in the top 10.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 8th October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Aspiring barristers “not told reality of obstacles facing them” – Legal Futures

Posted October 3rd, 2019 in barristers, diversity, equality, legal education, news, pupillage, women by tracey

‘Students aspiring to careers at the Bar are not always told clearly the difficulties they will face with obtaining a pupillage and funding their studies, according to a retired High Court judge.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Black History Month: First black magistrate Eric Irons honoured – BBC News

Posted October 1st, 2019 in diversity, equality, magistrates, news by sally

‘A plaque is to be unveiled to commemorate the life of Britain’s first black magistrate.’

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BBC News, 1st October 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

First 100 Years podcast – An Evening in Conversation with Dame Janet Smith DBE and Dame Caroline Swift DBE – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted September 27th, 2019 in diversity, equality, gender, judges, judiciary, legal profession, podcasts, sex discrimination, women by tracey

‘Dame Janet Smith and Dame Caroline Swift can be heard in a First 100 Years podcast talking about their life on the Northern Circuit, their friendship and their distinguished judicial careers.’

Podcast

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 27th September 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Vegetarianism as a protected characteristic: another view on Conisbee – Law & Religion UK

Posted September 26th, 2019 in diversity, employment, employment tribunals, equality, human rights, news, vegetarianism by tracey

‘In Conisbee v Crossley Farms Ltd & Ors [2019] ET 3335357/2018, Employment Judge Postle gave a reserved judgment in which he found that the Claimant’s contention that vegetarianism could be a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010 was not well-founded. The judgment has already been noted in this blog; in this supplementary post I will be focusing on the ET’s sharp distinction between vegetarianism and veganism, which it used – rashly – to find that ethical vegetarianism was incapable of constituting a religion or belief under the Equality Act 2010.’

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Law & Religion UK, 23rd September 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Firm advertises for black solicitor apprentices – Legal Futures

Posted September 23rd, 2019 in diversity, equality, law firms, news, race discrimination, solicitors, statistics by sally

‘Well-known law firm Leigh Day has hit back at criticism from “trolls” after it advertised solicitor apprenticeships for six black students of Afro-Caribbean or African heritage.’

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Legal Futures, 20th September 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB introduces new rules to remove restrictions on reporting barristers’ sexual orientation, religion and belief data – Bar Standards Board

Posted September 4th, 2019 in barristers, disclosure, diversity, equality, press releases, statistics by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published new rules that remove restrictions on the reporting by the profession of sexual orientation, religion and belief data.’

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Bar Standards Board, 2nd September 2019

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Complaints by female and BAME military staff a ‘serious concern’ – BBC News

‘A “disproportionate” number of female and ethnic minority personnel in the armed forces file internal complaints, MPs have said.’

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BBC News, 7th August 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Post-LASPO and the role of diversity in family law – Family Law

Posted August 5th, 2019 in diversity, equality, families, legal aid, news, statistics, women by tracey

‘Celebrations and policy campaigns continue to mark a 100 years of women in law. In 2017, as reported in the Law Society’s Annual Statistics Report Flyer 2018 ‘for the first time, the number of female practising certificate (PC) holders exceeded male colleagues…women made up 50.1% of all PC holders – up from 43.4% in 2007.’ Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) professionals as practising solicitors were at its highest at 16.5% of the profession. While significant strives have been made, little attention has been paid to the impact of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) on the role of diversity, with particular reference to women and BAME, in family law.’

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Family Law, 5th August 2019

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

‘White middle-aged men’ leading armed forces blamed for bullying culture in new report – The Independent

‘Servicemen and women are facing “unacceptable” levels of inappropriate behaviour in part due to the “pack mentality of white middle-aged men” commanding the armed forces, a report says. A “significant number” of military personnel have experienced “bullying, discrimination and harassment, including sexual”, according to the research commissioned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).’

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The Independent, 16th July 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Armed forces: Sexual offence claims ‘not properly recorded’ – BBC News

‘At least 60 sexual offence allegations investigated by military service police in two years were not reported in official figures, the BBC has found. Figures for 2017 and 2018 did not include alleged offences such as sexual communications with children and stalking involving fear of violence.’

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BBC news, 16th July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Chambers “must publish” data on sexual orientation and religion – Legal Futures

Posted July 9th, 2019 in barristers, diversity, homosexuality, internet, Legal Services Board, news by sally

‘The Legal Services Board (LSB) has approved a new rule requiring chambers to include sexual orientation and religion in the diversity data they publish on their websites, whether or not all of their barristers agree.’

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Legal Futures, 9th July 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The lawyer who wants more academics to ‘come out’ as working class – The Guardian

Posted July 9th, 2019 in diversity, equality, human rights, news, universities by sally

‘The founder of the Association of Working Class Academics is fighting for class to be recognised in equality law as well as race and gender.’

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The Guardian, 9th July 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

White students still way out ahead in race for pupillages – Legal Futures

‘White students are significantly more likely to obtain pupillage than those from BAME backgrounds, with the gap widest among those who have not achieved the highest results, new figures have shown.’

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Legal Futures, 4th July 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ep 84: Widening Access at the Bar – Jo Moore and Laura Bruce – Law Pod UK

Posted June 25th, 2019 in barristers, diversity, news by sally

‘In this episode, Emma-Louise Fenelon talks to Jo Moore from 1COR and Laura Bruce from the Sutton Trust about widening participation at the Bar.’

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Law Pod UK, 17th June 2019

Source: audioboom.com