Misogyny ‘should become a hate crime in England and Wales’ – The Guardian

‘Misogyny should be made a hate crime in England and Wales, according to the independent body that recommends legal changes, as part of an overhaul of legislation.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Message from the Lord Chief Justice: Diversity of the judiciary – 2020 statistics – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

‘I welcome publication of the Judicial Diversity Forum’s combined statistical report. It brings together data on the diversity of the judiciary, judicial appointments and from the relevant professional bodies (the Law Society, the Bar Council and the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).’

Full press release

Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 17th September 2020

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Gender-fluid engineer wins landmark UK discrimination case – The Guardian

‘Judge decides that there is protection for non-binary people under the Equality Act.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 17th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.

Full Story

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.

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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”.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

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.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 13th August 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk