Bar regulator to address unfair treatment of women at the Bar – Bar Standards Board

Posted July 14th, 2016 in barristers, equality, press releases, reports, women by tracey

‘The Bar Standards Board will be writing to every multi-tenant chambers across the country to seek their help in improving compliance with the Equality Rules, following the BSB’s recent survey of women at the Bar.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 12th July 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Supreme Court revamp raises hopes for women – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 13th, 2016 in diversity, equality, judges, judiciary, news, Supreme Court, women by sally

‘The Supreme Court is expected to revamp its judicial selection process, which could result in more women filling vacancies.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th July 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Female barristers report high level of sexual harassment at work – The Guardian

‘Female barristers are frequently subject to sexual harassment and discrimination but are reluctant to complain for fear it might damage their careers, research has revealed.’

Full story

The Guardian, 12th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Expanding the Frontiers of Indirect Discrimination: Disadvantage and Associative Discrimination – Littleton Chambers

Posted July 12th, 2016 in appeals, EC law, employment, employment tribunals, equality, judgments, news by sally

‘This paper address recent developments where the courts have considered the fundamental concepts of discrimination law and, the case law has both expanded the frontiers of discrimination whilst at the same time created some difficult hurdles for Claimants. The issues can best be considered by way of a factual example, which is set out below, and which will be considered at each stage of the paper.’

Full story

Littleton Chambers, 7th June 2016

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

Government to review 2004 Gender Recognition Act – The Guardian

Posted July 8th, 2016 in equality, gender, legislation, news by sally

‘Legal processes for registering a change of gender are to be overhauled to make them less distressing for transgender people.’

Full story

The Guardian, 7th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Support for women at the Bar is there when they need it – The Bar Council

Posted July 1st, 2016 in barristers, diversity, equality, press releases, women by tracey

‘Over the last few years, the Bar Council has rolled out a number of initiatives aimed at improving equal opportunities for members of the Bar.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 30th June 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Councils defeat judicial review challenge to motions on Israeli settlements – Local Government Lawyer

‘Three councils have successfully defended a High Court judicial review challenge brought by Jewish Human Rights Watch (JHRW) over motions passed in relation to the authorities’ business dealings and Israeli settlements.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 28th June 2016

Source: http://www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/

Airlines criticised over payouts for damaged wheelchairs – The Guardian

Posted June 14th, 2016 in airlines, compensation, damages, disabled persons, equality, news by sally

‘Britain’s equality watchdog has criticised British airlines and British Airways (BA) in particular – for their treatment of disabled customers as legal action is taken by an actor over alleged damage to her wheelchair.’

Full story

The Guardian. 13th June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Filling the void: the Brexit effect on employment law – OUP Blog

‘Having been cast as unnecessary “red tape”, a burden on business, inflexible, uncompetitive and inefficient, it is widely assumed that a sizeable number of domestic employment laws derived from European Law will be in the firing line in the event of a Brexit. In a well-publicised written opinion produced for the TUC, the leading labour law barrister, Michael Ford QC, has provided some support for this assumption. He noted the vulnerability of these EU-derived employment rights and labour laws, and divided and categorised them according to whether a future UK government would be likely to repeal, dilute or preserve them. In this blog, I will probe what might fill any void created by the removal of employment rights rooted in EU law. Surprisingly, the common law would appear to have as significant a role to play as domestic legislation in this context. The potential involvement of the common law is somewhat paradoxical, particularly in light of its perceived ‘undemocratic’ credentials, it being a source of law crafted incrementally by unelected judges.’

Full story

OUP Blog, 7th June 2016

Source: www.blog.oup.com

Record low UK crime rate is ‘only benefiting the wealthy’, new survey shows – The Independent

Posted June 7th, 2016 in crime, equality, news by tracey

‘New research suggests people living in well off areas have been the main beneficiaries of Britain’s falling crime rate – while those living in poorer parts of the country have seen far smaller reductions.’

Full story

The Independent, 6th June 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

White lawyers three times more likely to be appointed as recorders – The Guardian

Posted June 3rd, 2016 in diversity, equality, judiciary, news, statistics by sally

‘White applicants are three times more likely to be appointed as recorders than lawyers from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, according to the Bar Council.’

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd June 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Senior EU lawyer backs workplace ban on Muslim headscarves – The Guardian

‘Companies should be free to ban Muslim women from wearing headscarves at work if they have a general policy barring all religious and political symbols, a senior EU lawyer has said.’

Full story

The Guardian, 31st May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bereavement damages: Unmarried Chorley woman’s legal fight – BBC News

‘A woman is taking the government to court for breaching her human rights in denying her bereavement damages after her partner died.’

Full story

BBC News, 22nd May 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Aspects of the Tribunal’s decision in the Beis Aharon Trust case relating to religious rights – Education Law Blog

Posted May 20th, 2016 in education, equality, human rights, Judaism, news, school children, standards by tracey

‘For those, like me, who keep a close eye on the development of the law on religious rights and freedoms, the decision of the First-Tier Tribunal in Beis Aharon Trust v Secretary of State for Education is certainly eye-catching.’

Full story

Education Law Blog, 19th May 2016

Source: www.education11kbw.com

BSB echoes Bar Council concerns on equality and access to justice – The Bar Council

‘The Chairman of the Bar Council, Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC has signalled agreement with the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) concern for equality and diversity in the profession. As the independent regulator reported in its recently published Risk Outlook yesterday, the Bar Council also welcomed the focus on access to justice and on ensuring that consumers’ needs are properly met following the prolonged period of cuts to our system of justice.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 18th May 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

BSB’s Strategic Plan and Risk Outlook launch provokes lively debate – Bar Standards Board

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) officially launched its Strategic Plan 2016-19 and Risk Outlook last month at a function in central London, to an audience of barristers, representative bodies of the Bar, legal consumer organisations and diversity groups.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 17th May 2016

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

UK has one of worst records for gender equality at work – report – The Guardian

Posted May 18th, 2016 in employment, equality, gender, news, remuneration, sex discrimination, statistics by tracey

‘Researchers rank Britain 11th out of 18 countries, including US, France and Spain, for factors such as pay and board level representation.’

Full story

The Guardian, 18th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Almost half of solicitors in England and Wales are women, study shows – The Guardian

Posted May 17th, 2016 in costs, diversity, equality, law firms, news, statistics, women by sally

‘Almost half of all solicitors in England and Wales are women and almost a fifth are from non-white backgrounds, according to the latest figures.’

Full story

The Guardian, 17th May 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Dying pensioners admitted to hospital against their will, CQC report finds – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 9th, 2016 in consent, equality, health, hospitals, news, quality assurance, standards, statistics by sally

‘Dying elderly people are being admitted to hospital against their will and end of life care is not good enough, a Care Quality Commission study has found.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Israel boycott ban: Local councils face legal action at High Court over boycott on Israeli goods made in West Bank – The Independent

‘Local councils are facing legal action at the High Court today over their decisions to impose boycotts on Israeli goods produced in “illegal” Israeli settlements in the West Bank.’

Full story

The Independent, 4th May 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk