Race at the Bar: time to double down on race equality work – The Bar Council

Posted December 10th, 2024 in barristers, equality, news, race discrimination, reports by tracey

‘The Bar Council is calling on individuals, chambers, and organisations at the Bar to step up work on race equality and keep the momentum going, as it publishes the follow up report to the landmark Race at the Bar report 2021.”

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The Bar Council, 4th December 2024

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Transgender pool player in court battle after being banned from competing in women’s events – The Independent

Posted December 5th, 2024 in equality, news, sport, transgender persons, women by tracey

‘A transgender pool champion is taking legal action against one of the sport’s governing bodies in England after she was banned from playing in women’s tournaments.’

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The Independent, 4th December 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Trends in disrepair and complex housing claims – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 5th, 2024 in equality, housing, human rights, landlord & tenant, news, repairs by tracey

‘Following recent changes in the law and guidance, as well as recent media coverage of housing issues, there is a significant rise in housing disrepair claims. Mandy Williams and Nichola Johnston anticipate this trend will continue together with an increase in claims’ complexity.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th December 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

AI “could amplify gender biases in legal profession” – Legal Futures

‘Increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) could “perpetuate or even amplify existing gender biases in the legal profession”, new research has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 4th December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Research Briefing: A short introduction to equality law and policy – House of Commons Library

Posted December 4th, 2024 in equality, human rights, news, parliament by tracey

‘This briefing provides an overview of equality law, summarising the main concepts and the role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.’

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House of Commons Library, 2nd December 2024

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

High public confidence in barristers falters among ethnic minorities – Legal Futures

Posted December 2nd, 2024 in barristers, equality, legal profession, news, race discrimination, statistics by tracey

‘Public confidence in barristers is high, but lower among those from minority backgrounds, especially when it comes to perceptions of whether they treat everyone fairly, new research has found.’

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Legal Futures, 2nd December 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

CPS sets out Action Plan to tackle disproportionality in charging decisions – Crown Prosecution Service

‘An ambitious plan to tackle racial disproportionality and safeguard fair prosecution decision-making for all has been published today by the Crown Prosecution Service.’

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Crown Prosecution Service, 28th November 2024

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Shared parental leave ‘failing working families’ – BBC News

Posted December 2nd, 2024 in children, employment, equality, families, maternity leave, news, paternity leave by tracey

‘A decade on from the introduction of a landmark scheme aimed at helping new parents share childcare, campaigners say shared parental leave is failing the working families it was designed to help.’

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BBC News, 2nd December 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Appeal judge orders re-hearing of employment claim against council where most of written reasons of tribunal were copied from evidence or submissions of local authority – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Employment Appeal Tribunal has ordered a re-hearing of claims by an ex-employee against a local authority, after finding that most of the Employment Tribunal’s written reasons were copied from the council’s witness evidence or written submissions.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Political views vs philosophical beliefs: Fairbanks – Law & Religion UK

Posted November 25th, 2024 in belief discrimination, bullying, employment, equality, harassment, news, political parties by tracey

‘In Mrs C Fairbanks v Change Grow Live [2024] UKET 2409700/2023, Mrs Fairbanks had been employed by Change Grow Live (CGL), a charity, as a recovery worker based in Fleetwood from October 2022 until she was dismissed in July 2023. She had been a local councillor for the UK Independence Party between about 2017 and 2019, and at the job interview, she had told the charity that she had been a councillor but had not told them which party she had represented.’

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Law & Religion UK, 25th November 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

BSB Equality Rules amendments proposals are the wrong approach, warns the Bar Council – The Bar Council

Posted November 19th, 2024 in amendments, barristers, equality, news, regulations by tracey

‘The Bar Council has today published its proposed response to the Bar Standards Board’s proposed amendments to the equality rules forming part of barristers’ conduct obligations. The Bar Council has significant concerns that the proposals are substantially unlawful and unenforceable, impractical, and may “hinder progress in this important area”. ‘

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The Bar Council, 18th November 2024

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Schools and colleges in England accused of failing in legal duty to tackle racism – The Guardian

Posted November 19th, 2024 in education, equality, news, racism, school exclusions by tracey

‘Schools and colleges are failing in their legal duty to prevent and address racism, say campaigners who are calling for the national curriculum in England to include an explicit anti-racism focus with Black history as a compulsory subject.’

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The Guardian, 18th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Security guard sues Science Museum for allegedly denying suitable chair – The Guardian

‘A cancer survivor with chronic health problems is suing one of the UK’s most prestigious museums for discrimination for allegedly denying her a suitable chair to sit on when she is at work.’

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The Guardian, 17th November 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Splitting hairs: A review of the ‘related to’ test under section 26 Equality Act 2010 – Cloisters

‘In Finn v British Bung Manufacturing Company [2023] EAT 165, the EAT upheld an employment tribunal’s decision that calling a male colleague a ‘bald c**nt’ was harassment related to sex. The employer’s counterargument, that baldness is not an exclusively male characteristic, failed.’

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Cloisters, 8th October 2024

Source: www.cloisters.com

Employment law silks clash over impact of BSB equality duty – Legal Futures

Posted November 12th, 2024 in barristers, consultations, diversity, equality, news, standards by tracey

‘Two leading employment law silks have clashed over the new, proactive equality duty proposed by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).’

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Legal Futures, 12th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Council worker who objected to pronouns policy ordered to pay £12k in costs after losing employment tribunal – Local Government Lawyer

‘A council worker who protested against his local authority employer’s pronouns policy has been ordered to pay £12,000 in costs after his claim of unfair dismissal was dismissed in the Employment Tribunal.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Disabled paralegal’s £41k damages over unfair law firm dismissal – Legal Futures

‘A paralegal has been awarded £41,000 in damages against a law firm that unfairly dismissed and discriminated against her because she could not work full-time due to disability.’

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Legal Futures, 11th November 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Behind the Stained-Glass: institutional racism in the Church of England – Law & Religion UK

Posted November 8th, 2024 in Church of England, equality, news, racism, statistics by tracey

‘On 5 November, the Church of England published a report for the Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice, Behind the Stained-Glass: A Report on the Participation of UK Minoritised Ethnic People in the Ministry and Leadership of the Church of England.’

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Law & Religion UK, 6th November 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Whistleblowing: Detriment and Dismissal Cases – Local Government Lawyer

‘In the second session of our Autumn/Winter Employment Series, Nick Bidnell-Edwards and Safia Tharoo provide a concise review of whistleblowing law for detriment and dismissal claims, including recent developments, followed by practical tips on how to bring and to defend the claims.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st November 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

When rules clash: faith, identity, and the Football Association – Law & Religion UK

Posted November 1st, 2024 in equality, human rights, Islam, islamic law, news, sport by sally

‘A Muslim football coach was prevented from playing in a match because she wears tracksuit bottoms rather than shorts: she says that wearing shorts compromises her religious beliefs.’

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Law & Religion UK, 31st October 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com