Diversity at the Bar improved again in 2021 but women and people from ethnic minorities are still underrepresented as QCs, says BSB report – Bar Standards Board

Posted January 31st, 2022 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, queen's counsel, statistics, women by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published its annual report on Diversity at the Bar. The report shows that the profession became increasingly diverse in 2021 and that a greater proportion of barristers disclosed their demographic data.’

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Bar Standards Board, 28th January 2022

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Women’s groups seek end to UK courts’ powers to jail people for own protection – The Guardian

Posted January 31st, 2022 in criminal justice, equality, imprisonment, Ministry of Justice, news, racism, women by tracey

‘A coalition of women’s rights organisations has called on the UK government to abolish a law that gives courts the power to send people to prison for their own protection, as part of a 10-point plan to tackle inequalities in the criminal justice system.’

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The Guardian, 31st January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Research briefing: LGBT+ rights and issues in the Caribbean – House of Commons Library

‘This briefing focuses on LGBT+ rights and issues in seven Caribbean states: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica and St Lucia.’

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House of Commons Library , 27th January 2022

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Reforms to protect disabled and LGBT+ victims, criminalise extremist misogynist ‘incel’ hate material, and safeguard free speech – Family Law

‘The Law Commission has announced recommendations to reform hate crime legislation to ensure that disabled and LGBT+ victims receive the same protections as victims with other protected characteristics (race and religion). If enacted, the reforms would ensure all five characteristics are protected equally by the law.’

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Family Law, 27th January 2022

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Great Ormond Street Hospital cleaners take legal action after ‘being paid less than white colleagues’ – The Independent

‘Dozens of ethnic minority cleaners are taking legal action against a world-leading children’s hospital having accused the organisation of denying them NHS contracts that would offer a higher wage as well as benefits such as overtime, sick pay, holiday pay and access to the NHS pension scheme.’

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The Independent, 27th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Humanist marriage: MPs call for legal recognition of ceremonies – BBC News

Posted January 28th, 2022 in equality, marriage, news, religious discrimination by tracey

‘The UK government’s failure to legally recognise humanist weddings in England and Wales is “discriminatory”, MPs have argued, as they called for marriage reform.’

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BBC News, 27th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal rules equity partner’s demotion was not conduct extending over a period but a one-off act with continuing consequences – Farrar’s Building

‘Claimants wishing to bring a discrimination claim under the Equality Act 2010 must do so within 3 months of the discriminatory conduct. Claimants can bring their claim in respect of conduct extending beyond 3 months if the conduct was a sequence of events and the last chain in the event occurred within 3 months of the claim. But when is conduct extending over a period and when is the conduct simply a one-off act with continuing consequences? In Parr v MSR Partners LLP (Formerly Moore Stephens LLP) and Others [2022] EWCA Civ 24, the Court of Appeal held that an equity partner’s demotion to salaried partner was not a continuing act even if he suffered losses many years after the demotion. The demotion was the point at which limitation ran.’

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Farrar's Building, 19th January 2022

Source: www.farrarsbuilding.co.uk

Remedying breaches of the Public Sector Equality Duty – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 18th, 2022 in equality, housing, landlord & tenant, mental health, news, repossession by tracey

‘Is it possible to remedy a breach of the public sector equality duty (PSED)? Katherine Apps analyses an important Court of Appeal ruling.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 17th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘The present proceedings should never have been brought.’ ASB and disability discrimination. – Nearly Legal

‘Rosebery Housing Association Ltd v Williams & Anor (2021) EW Misc 22 (CC). Applications for injunctions under Part 1 of ASBCPA 2014 seem to be all the rage at moment, so it is refreshing to read the judgment in Rosebery Housing Association v Williams which was handed down by HHJ Luba QC late last year. The judgment provides a helpful list of what-not-to-do in situations where there are allegations of anti-social behaviour levelled at a disabled tenant, particularly where the tenant has made serious allegations of her own.’

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Nearly Legal, 16th January 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Government breached duty over solicitor-judge’s disability struggles – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The government has been criticised by an employment tribunal for a “lack of coordination and pre-planning” that resulted in a solicitor-judge bringing a disability discrimination challenge against the justice secretary over her struggles to secure reasonable adjustments.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th January 2022

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

FA urged to follow up CPS’ promise of criminal action over homophobic ‘rent boys’ chants – Daily Telegraph

‘The Football Association have been urged to follow up the Crown Prosecution Service’s promise of criminal action over homophobic “rent boys” chants with disciplinary sanctions against clubs who fail to educate their fans.’

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Daily Telegraph, 11th January 2022

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police need to be trained not to discriminate against black families in missing person cases, say experts – The Independent

Posted January 12th, 2022 in charities, equality, families, missing persons, news, race discrimination by tracey

‘Police forces responding to reports of missing people should implement training to address racial discrimination, a groundbreaking report has recommended. Missing People, a UK charity supporting missing people and their families, has released new guidance in response to disclosures of bias faced by families when reporting their loved one missing to the police, based upon months of research into disparities around the matter.’

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The Independent, 12th January 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Reviewing Our Rights As 2022 Gets Started: Sex And Gender Identity – Each Other2487537737

‘Throughout 2021, Each Other reported on human rights issues across the UK, including those affecting people on account of their characteristics protected under the Equality Act. To usher in the new year, we are highlighting the issues that are particularly affecting five such groups in UK society, looking forward to the opportunities 2022 might afford and the challenges the year ahead might pose. In this mini-series, we focus on these five of the nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act: race, sex, sexual orientation, disability and religion.’

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Each Other, 10th January 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

‘Gay cake’ row: man loses seven-year battle against Belfast bakery – The Guardian

‘ECHR says Gareth Lee’s case against bakery that refused to make cake with ‘support gay marriage’ message is inadmissible.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

London borough’s housing allocation policy in breach of Equality Act, Ombudsman finds – Local Government Lawyer

‘A mother of two disabled children has successfully brought a complaint against Greenwich Council after a Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman investigation found the local authority’s social housing allocation policy disadvantaged the family.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

One of the only black female QCs in England and Wales calls for action on inequality – The Guardian

Posted January 6th, 2022 in barristers, diversity, equality, minorities, news, queen's counsel, women by sally

‘One of the only black female QCs in England and Wales has said the time has come for action and “no more talk” when it comes to tackling race inequality in the legal profession.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Remedying breach of Public Sector Equality Duty (or not) – Nearly Legal

Posted January 4th, 2022 in disabled persons, equality, housing, mental health, news, repossession by tracey

‘Metropolitan Housing Trust Ltd v TM (2021) EWCA Civ 1890 – We saw in Taylor v Slough Borough Council (2020) EWHC 3520 (Ch) that in possession claims where a defence of breach of public sector equality duty was raised, the courts would be prepared to accept subsequent compliance (even after the issue of proceedings) as ‘remedying’ the breach. In this second appeal, the Court of Appeal adds some important codicils to that position.’

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Nearly Legal, 3rd January 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Too little too late: a successful PSED challenge to a possession order – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 4th, 2022 in disabled persons, equality, housing, mental health, news, repossession by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal recently considered the impact of the public sector equality duty (“PSED”) on a claim for possession of rented residential premises; in particular, whether an earlier breach of the PSED can latterly be remedied, and to what extent. Robert Winspear analyses the ruling.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Incoming Bar chair: “I was wrong to be colour blind in approach to race” – Legal Futures

Posted December 8th, 2021 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, race discrimination by sally

‘The incoming chairman of the Bar Council said last night that he had been wrong to approach the issue of diversity at the Bar by trying to be “colour blind” and almost disregard it.’

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Legal Futures, 8th December 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘Loud’ academic wins unfair dismissal case against university – The Guardian

‘A senior academic who claimed she was sacked because her bosses could not tolerate her “naturally loud” voice and passionate teaching style has won her case for unfair dismissal.’

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The Guardian, 7th December 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com