BSB pilots reverse race mentoring for senior White barristers – Legal Futures

Posted September 4th, 2020 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, pilot schemes, race discrimination, racism by sally

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has launched a pilot reverse mentoring scheme, in which Bar students and junior barristers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds mentor senior White barristers.

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Legal Futures, 3rd September 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Ofcom: Does TV Need A New Diversity Regulator? – Each Other

Posted September 1st, 2020 in BBC, diversity, media, news by sally

‘Media regulator Ofcom is under fresh scrutiny after historian David Olusoga accused it of failing to hold broadcasters accountable for their lack of diversity. EachOther spoke to industry experts about their views on his call for a new diversity regulator and what it should look like.’

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Each Other, 28th August 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Diversity of criminal bar at risk as junior barristers forced to quit – The Guardian

Posted September 1st, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, criminal justice, diversity, minorities, news, pupillage by sally

‘Junior barristers and pupils from underrepresented backgrounds are dropping out of the profession at an alarming rate, threatening the diversity of the criminal bar, the anonymous blogger and author known as Secret Barrister has warned.’

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The Guardian, 31st August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Why Media Diversity Is A Human Rights Issue – Each Other

Posted August 25th, 2020 in diversity, human rights, media, news by sally

‘”How do we increase the number of non-white, disabled, female, or otherwise underrepresented, people working in journalism?” That is the way discussions around media diversity are framed all too often. People might also talk about “changing the gatekeepers” of key media organisations. Both of these things are important, but it is not why I campaign for increased media diversity and better representation.’

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Each Other, 24th August 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Commercial sets join forces to launch mentoring scheme – Litigation Futures

Posted July 30th, 2020 in barristers, diversity, equality, news by sally

‘Six leading commercial sets have joined forces to launch a mentoring scheme aimed at people from groups which are underrepresented at the commercial Bar.’

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Litigation Futures, 29th July 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

New survey reveals justice system hanging by a thread – Bar Council

Posted July 30th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, criminal justice, diversity, news, reports by sally

‘The Bar Council’s latest survey of the barristers’ profession has revealed the profound impact of Covid-19 on justice. It finds a criminal justice system pushed to breaking point and a huge reduction in work and income, forecasting an exodus that could drain the Bar of diversity and diminish access to justice in the future.’

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Bar Council, 27th July 2020

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Commercial sets join forces to launch mentoring scheme – Litigation Futures

Posted July 29th, 2020 in barristers, diversity, equality, news by tracey

‘Six leading commercial sets have joined forces to launch a mentoring scheme aimed at people from groups which are underrepresented at the commercial Bar.’

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Litigation Futures, 29th July 2020

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Legal regulators “too slow” with diversity action – Legal Futures

Posted July 16th, 2020 in diversity, legal profession, Legal Services Board, news by tracey

‘Progress by the legal regulators in understanding and tackling ongoing inequalities in the profession is “too slow” and lacks “strategic direction”, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 16th July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Stop and search stats may thwart diversity push, UK police warned – The Guardian

‘Efforts to improve diversity among police officers are at risk of being thwarted by the disproportionate use of stop-and-search powers against black men, a senior policing watchdog has warned.’

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The Guardian, 2nd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Top female lawyers’ careers squeezed by bias and harassment – Legal Futures

‘The role of discrimination on the part of both general counsel and clients in disadvantaging female lawyers was revealed yesterday by a survey on improving diversity at partner level in law firms.’

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Legal Futures, 1st July 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

SRA to launch project on BAME student underachievement – Legal Futures

‘The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is set to begin a multi-year project to increase understanding of why Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) students perform worse than white students.’

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Legal Futures, 19th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Your chambers aren’t colour blind, top QC tells barristers – Legal Futures

‘Barristers who believe their chambers are “colour-blind” and treat everyone the same “have a problem” and need to change their mindset, a high-profile black QC has said.’

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Legal Futures, 22nd June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Where are my black sisters? The intersection of religion, race and gender in the AAP legal community – Garden Court North Chambers

‘I am a hijabi (head-scarf wearing Muslim) Palestinian-British lawyer who has worked in the progressive Inquests/Actions Against the Police (AAP) field for the past 7 years. I started out as a paralegal, became a solicitor and am now a pupil barrister. I have met, or know of, many of the lawyers whose talent and (often unpaid) hard work props up this niche but vital corner of the legal system. Working as an AAP lawyer is beyond rewarding and the people you get to meet, clients and colleagues, are inspiring. As a hijabi AAP lawyer, this area can also be isolating and unwelcoming at times.’

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Garden Court North Chambers, 15th June 2020

Source: gcnchambers.co.uk

Youth justice: exposing a system that is failing our most vulnerable children – The Guardian

‘Children in the Dock was an investigation into the youth justice system in England and Wales that involved the Guardian’s Manchester team spending a month monitoring every case at Greater Manchester youth court. Among other things, they found that the proportion of BAME children in court had doubled in eight years, and revealed that youth cases now take 40% longer than in 2010.’

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The Guardian, 13th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

What It’s Like Being A Black Lawyer Working In The UK’s Criminal Justice System In 2020 – Elle Magazine

‘Abimbola Johnson is a Black criminal defence barrister, whose experience of the justice system in the UK brings recent events in the US even closer to home.’

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Elle Magazine, 5th June 2020

Source: www.elle.com

Alexandra Wilson discusses how we can tip the balance within the legal profession: we need to reflect that Black lives matter – 5SAH

‘The Black Lives Matter movement (BLM), a global organisation in the UK, US and Canada, was founded in 2013 in response to the death of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of the man that shot him. BLM connects people from all over the world who want justice and seek to put an end to state violence against Black people.’

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5SAH, 12th June 2020

Source: www.5sah.co.uk

Black Lawyers On Working In The UK’s Criminal Justice System – Each Other

‘The UK’s criminal justice system is under renewed scrutiny amid a wave of anti-racism protests. EachOther speaks to leading black lawyers to celebrate their work and hear their views on what reform is needed.’

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Each Other, 9th June 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Compensation Fund cuts would be “devastating” – Legal Futures

‘Cutting the maximum size of Compensation Fund awards from £2m to £500,000 could have a “devastating” impact on “unlucky claimants”, the Law Society has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 4th June 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

First hijab-wearing UK court judge hopes to be ‘trailblazer’ – BBC News

‘A woman who is the first UK deputy district judge to wear a hijab said she hoped to be a “trailblazer”.’

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BBC News, 27th May 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Female barristers warn of “disproportionate attrition” during Covid-19 – Legal Futures

‘Female barristers have urged the courts and chambers to take action to avoid the coronavirus crisis leading to “further and disproportionate attrition of women from the Bar”.’

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Legal Futures, 20th May 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk