Home Office’s £400m immigration unit bases policies on ‘assumptions and prejudice’, MPs warn – The Independent

Posted September 18th, 2020 in diversity, enforcement, equality, government departments, immigration, news by tracey

‘The Home Office appears to be formulating its immigration policies on “anecdote, assumption and prejudice” rather than evidence, MPs have warned.’

Full Story

The Independent, 18th September 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Do black lives matter in the employment justice system? – Garden Court Chambers

‘Paper produced by Mukhtiar Singh of the Garden Court Employment and Discrimination Law Team.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 14th September 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

BSB: Exams problems “worse than thought” as it rejects alternative plan – Legal Futures

Posted September 14th, 2020 in barristers, coronavirus, equality, examinations, internet, legal education, news by tracey

‘Problems with the Bar exams were far more extensive than previously reported, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has admitted as it announced traditional “pen and paper” resits next month.’

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Legal Futures, 14th September 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB announces new opportunities to sit Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) exams – Bar Standards Board

Posted September 14th, 2020 in equality, internet, press releases by tracey

‘The Director General of the Bar Standards Board has repeated his apology to students who were affected by the technical difficulties which they faced in sitting their BPTC exams in August. Further to his previous announcement on 18 August, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) has also today announced that course providers will be offering new opportunities to sit the centralised BPTC and Bar Transfer Test (BTT) assessments in Professional Ethics and Civil and Criminal Litigation in the traditional pen and paper format starting from 5 October.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 11th September 2020

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Disabled homeless man wins ‘no DSS’ case against estate agency – The Guardian

‘A homeless father of four with disabilities who was refused the chance to rent a private flat because he fell foul of the estate agents’ “no DSS” rules was unlawfully discriminated against, a court has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 9th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ensuring the lawfulness of automated facial recognition surveillance in the UK – Oxford Human Rights Hub

‘In R(Bridges) v South Wales Police, the England and Wales Court of Appeal reviewed the lawfulness of the use of live automated facial recognition technology (‘AFR’) by the South Wales Police Force. CCTV camera­­s capture images of the public, which are then compared with digital images of persons on a watchlist.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 3rd September 2020

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

Grammar school discriminated against visually impaired child, tribunal finds – The Guardian

‘Grammar schools in England will have to ensure their 11-plus entrance exams are accessible to disabled pupils, after a legal ruling found a visually impaired child suffered discrimination when he was refused the opportunity to take the exam.’

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The Guardian, 9th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

GMB union institutionally sexist, inquiry finds – The Guardian

‘One of Britain’s biggest trade unions has been described as “institutionally sexist” in a highly critical independent report.

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The Guardian, 3rd September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

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

Legal profession must be “more open about menopause” – Legal Futures

Posted September 4th, 2020 in equality, Law Society, legal profession, menopause, news, solicitors, statistics, women by sally

‘More openness about the menopause is needed, the Law Society said yesterday as it released guidance on experiencing menopause in the legal profession to mark Menopause Awareness Month.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd September 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal upholds award to age discrimination job interview solicitor – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The employment tribunal has declined to change its compensation award made to a solicitor who claimed age discrimination when he was turned down for a job.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 27th August 2020

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Benefit claimants face landlord discrimination despite ruling – BBC News

‘Thousands of landlords are trying to avoid renting their properties to benefit claimants, despite a judge ruling a blanket ban was unlawful.’

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BBC News, 28th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Policing Our Privacy – Where Does the Law Lie? – 39 Essex Chambers

‘Last Tuesday the Court of Appeal (Sir Terence Etherton MR, Dame Victoria Sharp PQBD and Singh LJ) allowed the appeal of the civil liberties campaigner, Edward Bridges, against the decision of the Divisional Court which had dismissed his claim for judicial review of South Wales Police Force’s use of live automated facial recognition technology (“AFR”).’

Full Story

39 Essex Chambers, 17th August 2020

Source: www.39essex.com

BAME children three times more likely to have a Taser weapon used on them by police – The Guardian

‘Children from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are almost three times more likely to have a Taser electronic weapon used on them by police than their white counterparts.’

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The Guardian, 16th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

A-level student launches legal bid against Ofqual – The Guardian

‘An A-level student has launched a legal bid against the exams regulator Ofqual to “force them to come up with a fairer system”.’

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The Guardian, 16th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

A-level results: ‘Huge mess’ as exams appeal guidance withdrawn – BBC News

‘The exams regulator is reviewing its guidance on how to appeal against A-level and GCSE grades using mock exam results – hours after publishing it.’

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BBC News, 16th August 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Mayor defeats Court of Appeal challenge to removal of congestion charge exemption from minicab drivers – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has found for the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan in a case brought by minicab drivers, despite judges being troubled by aspects of his actions.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

LSB demands greater transparency on practising fees – Legal Futures

‘Legal regulators will have to explain more clearly how they spend their practising certificate fees (PCF) under revised rules proposed by the Legal Services Board (LSB).’

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Legal Futures, 14th August 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Challenging the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities – Doughty Street Chambers

‘The recent appointment of Dr Tony Sewell as head of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities has been cause for concern for racial justice campaigners. In an article in Prospect magazine, Dr Sewell stated that he believed institutional racism has given black children “the discourse of the victim” and he has recently had to apologise for making “wrong and offensive” comments about gay men.’

Full Story

Doughty Street Chambers, 12th August 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Facial Recognition Technology not “In Accordance with Law” – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Court of Appeal, overturning a Divisional Court decision, has found the use of a facial recognition surveillance tool used by South Wales Police to be in breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The case was brought by Liberty on behalf of privacy and civil liberties campaigner Ed Bridges. The appeal was upheld on the basis that the interference with Article 8 of the ECHR, which guarantees a right to privacy and family life, was not “in accordance with law” due to an insufficient legal framework. However, the court found that, had it been in accordance with law, the interference caused by the use of facial recognition technology would not have been disproportionate to the goal of preventing crime. The court also found that Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) was deficient, and that the South Wales Police (SWP), who operated the technology, had not fulfilled their Public Sector Equality Duty.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 13th August 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com