‘The Law Society is keen to encourage greater diversity in the composition of its Council policy committees and Divisions. For example, we believe that women, BAME, LGBT and younger solicitors and solicitors with disabilities are under represented on the Council, which is the elected governing body of the Law Society and sets policy on behalf of the profession. A similar pattern holds true for recruitment to the specialist committees that advise on specific areas of the law. Opportunities also exist for members to play a pro active role on our Divisions committees.’

Date: 21st March 2017, 5.30-8.30pm

Location: The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL

Charge: Free, booking required

More information can be found here.

‘Increasing concerns that victims of domestic violence, who flee the country with their children, are effectively being forced, under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, to return to face their abusers, led to calls for a Protocol to the Convention which would make special provision for such cases. Instead, however, the Hague Conference on Private International Law has established a Working Group with the aim of developing a Guide to Good Practice in relation to article 13(1)(b) of the Convention. This provides an exception to the automatic return of children to their country of habitual residence required by article 12, where there is a grave risk that their return would expose them to physical or psychological harm or otherwise place them in an intolerable situation.’

Date: 16th March 2017, 6.00-7.00pm

Location: Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre, Wilkins Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

’15 April 1989: an inescapable crush on the terraces at Hillsborough Stadium at an FA Cup Semi-Final led to the deaths of 96 men, women and children. Hundreds of Liverpool fans were injured, thousands traumatised. Throughout the investigations and inquiries, those who died and survived were vilified amid police allegations of drunkenness, violence, criminal and abusive behaviour. The families’ unrelenting campaign for truth recovery led to disclosure of all existing documents to an Independent Panel. Its definitive report revealed institutional mendacity, corrupted evidence and partial investigation. This brought an unreserved Government apology, an ongoing criminal investigation into all agencies involved and an unprecedented IPCC investigation into 2,000 police officers. It also led to new inquests, commencing March 2014 through to 2016. Author of the highly acclaimed Hillsborough: The Truth, Phil Scraton, Professor of Criminology, Queen’s University, headed the Panel’s research and was primary author of its report. He has also been advisor to the families’ legal teams throughout the inquests. In this talk he reflects on the long-term campaign for truth, details the Panel’s extensive findings and analyses the new inquests and their outcome. Finally, he examines the impact of his critical research and truth recovery for challenging institutional injustice and holding State institutions to account.’

Date: 9th March 2017, 6.00-7.30pm

Location: 26 Bedford Way, WC1H 0AP

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.

‘This conference brings together a number of experts in the UK, US and Europe to discuss what shadow banking means and the implications for financial sector governance and regulation of both mainstream and alternative institutions and activities, which by 2014 had grown to an estimated USD$75 trillion in assets held by non-bank financial intermediary institutions.’

Date: 24th March 2017, 9.00am-4.00pm

Location: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DR

Charge: See website for details

More information can be found here.

‘The Common European Asylum System is strongly focused on the individual asylum-seeker, and the coercive regulation of her predicament and processing. In contrast, international refugee policy has long been engaged with the concept of ‘mass influx’, reflecting the realities of flight, in particular from conflict. Several EXCOM Conclusions recommend practices to be adopted in such instances. Aside from the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive, the concept of ‘mass influx’ and the practices surrounding it have little traction in EU law and policy. This talk will contextualise and problematize the concept of ‘mass influx’, and suggest that notwithstanding its many shortcomings, global refugee policy sets out important standards that are lacking in EU law.’

Date: 2nd March 2017, 6.00-8.00pm

Location: Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (Council Chamber), 17 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DR

Charge: Free, registration required

More information can be found here.