Female lawyers should not be forced to wear heels, says Baroness Hale – The Independent

‘The UK’s most senior judge has condemned law firms that demand female lawyers wear high heels, as she lamented the lack of “progress” on sex discrimination in the legal profession.’

Full Story

The Independent, 12th January 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘Girl boss’ advert banned for gender stereotyping – BBC News

Posted January 8th, 2020 in advertising, complaints, gender, news, ombudsmen, sex discrimination by sally

‘An advert saying “You do the girl boss thing” has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).’

Full Story

BBC News, 8th January 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lady Hale at the BACFI Denning Lecture 2019, Athenaeum, Pall Mall, London – Supreme Court

Posted December 11th, 2019 in diversity, equality, gender, judges, legal history, legal profession, sex discrimination, women by tracey

‘Women in law –the next 100 yearsBACFI DenningLecture2019Athenaeum, Pall Mall, LondonLady Hale, President of The Supreme Court.’

Full speech

Supreme Court, 4th December 2019

Gender-Neutral Passport Rules: A Human Rights Breach? – Rights Info

Posted December 9th, 2019 in equality, gender, human rights, news, passports, sex discrimination by sally

‘The Court of Appeal heard this week that the government’s passport rules, which force non-gendered people to apply as either male or female, are a human rights breach. The case was brought by activist Christie Elan-Cane, who has campaigned on the issue for more than 25 years, and believes the rules are “inherently discriminatory”. How could what is written on our passports affect our rights? Emily Kent examines.’

Full Story

Rights Info, 6th December 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org

The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 – 100 Years On – Pump Court Chambers

Posted December 4th, 2019 in juries, legal profession, news, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘This year marks the centenary of the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919. This ground breaking Act of Parliament, which became law on 23 December 1919, allowed women to become Solicitors, Barristers, Magistrates and Jurors for the first time. The Act begins with the defining words “a person shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage from the exercise of any public function”. A sentiment which we take for granted nowadays but the first female jurors in England were sworn in on 29th July 1920. In the last 100 years, the legal profession has made progress in the pursuit of equality: the UK’s first female Prime Minister began her career studying for the Bar and our beloved first female President of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale has made her mark and taken every opportunity to develop equality within our legal system.’

Full Story

Pump Court Chambers, 29th November 2019

Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com

Court of Appeal to hear bid for gender-neutral passports – BBC News

Posted December 3rd, 2019 in appeals, gender, human rights, news, passports, sex discrimination by tracey

‘A campaigner who wants the government to provide gender-neutral passports will have their case heard at the Court of Appeal later.’

Full Story

BBC News, 3rd December 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sets without equal numbers of women “will lose work” – Legal Futures

Posted December 2nd, 2019 in barristers, diversity, equality, gender, news, remuneration, sex discrimination by tracey

‘Market forces will mean that commercial sets without a diverse gender pool at all levels will soon find themselves losing work to more gender-equal sets, according to a circuit judge who has researched equality at the Bar.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 2nd December 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

EAT rails against ‘endless delays’ of interim orders – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 28th, 2019 in case management, delay, employment, harassment, news, sex discrimination, striking out by sally

‘Claimants alleging mistreatment at work should be able to present their case without a succession of preliminary hearings, an employment appeal tribunal has said.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 27th November 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

“No right” to judge women lawyers on appearance – Legal Futures

Posted November 27th, 2019 in barristers, equality, gender, legal profession, news, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘It is about time that men and women realise that they have “no right to judge a woman’s commitment to and ability to do her job based on her appearance”, a leading QC has declared.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 27th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

“Bedroom tax” unlawful -Strasbourg Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted November 12th, 2019 in benefits, domestic violence, housing, human rights, news, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘Much may have changed in the political world since the Coalition Government introduced its controversial ‘bedroom tax’, but the legal fall-out from the policy continues. The European Court of Human Rights has delivered its verdict on the compatibility of the scheme with the prohibition on discrimination set out in Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Strasbourg Court has found that the policy discriminated unlawfully against women at risk of domestic violence.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 12th November 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

European Court of Human Rights rules against the UK in ‘bedroom tax’ case – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted October 29th, 2019 in benefits, domestic violence, housing, human rights, news, sex discrimination by sally

‘Today [24 October] the European Court of Human Rights has ruled, in the case of A v the United Kingdom, that the so-called ‘bedroom tax’ unlawfully discriminates against vulnerable victims of domestic violence.’

Full Story

Doughty Street Chambers, 24th October 2019

Source: www.doughtystreet.co.uk

Hallett urges ‘zero tolerance’ on sexual harassment – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A senior judge has called on all organisations to provide a mentor for employees affected by sexual harassment or discrimination. Lady Justice Hallett told an event celebrating women in the judiciary last night that many women who qualified in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s suffered sexual assault, discrimination and being patronised, but kept their heads down and hoped eventually their abilities would be recognised. They feared, “as some women today still fear”, they would be considered a trouble maker and their careers would suffer if they reported anyone.’

Full speech

 

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 25th October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Sexual discrimination ‘still a real issue’ in City financial firms – The Guardian

Posted October 14th, 2019 in employment tribunals, harassment, news, sex discrimination, women by tracey

‘The recent tribunal case brought by banker Stacey Macken shows that sexual discrimination remains a problem in London’s financial district, despite the shockwaves from the #MeToo movement.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 14th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court rules delving into women’s pension pots is not discriminatory – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 9th, 2019 in age discrimination, equality, news, notification, pensions, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘In a judgment handed down on 3rd October, the High Court has ruled that successive statutes between 1995 and 2014, which legislated to equalise the state pension age between men and women were not discriminatory. The High Court also determined that it was not a matter for the courts to conclude whether the steps taken to inform those affected by the changes in the state pension age for women were inadequate or unreasonable.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 9th October 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Tribunal rejects claims from ‘partner’ who sued as employee – Legal Futures

‘A former salaried partner, permitted by an employment tribunal earlier this year to sue her law firm as an employee, has lost all but one of her claims.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 9th October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Women lose landmark High Court fight against pension changes that caused homelessness and destitution – The Independent

Posted October 3rd, 2019 in age discrimination, equality, homelessness, news, pensions, sex discrimination, women by tracey

‘Women affected by controversial adjustments made to the state pension age, which campaigners say unlawfully discriminates against women born in the 1950s, have lost their landmark High Court battle against the government.’

Full Story

The Independent, 3rd October 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Barristers demand self-reporting waiver for harassment cases – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Barristers feel they cannot talk about workplace harassment and bullying because such discussions could trigger self-reporting obligations, the Association of Women Barristers (AWB) has said.’

Full Story

Law Society's Gazette, 2nd October 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bad behaviour by male barristers “still abounds” – Legal Futures

‘Inappropriate behaviour by male barristers in robing rooms and at Bar messes “still abounds”, the Association of Women Barristers (AWB) has said.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 1st October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

First 100 Years podcast – An Evening in Conversation with Dame Janet Smith DBE and Dame Caroline Swift DBE – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted September 27th, 2019 in diversity, equality, gender, judges, judiciary, legal profession, podcasts, sex discrimination, women by tracey

‘Dame Janet Smith and Dame Caroline Swift can be heard in a First 100 Years podcast talking about their life on the Northern Circuit, their friendship and their distinguished judicial careers.’

Podcast

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 27th September 2019

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Ex-BBC worker gets £130,000 settlement in equal pay dispute – The Guardian

Posted September 23rd, 2019 in BBC, compensation, equality, news, remuneration, sex discrimination, women by sally

‘A former BBC employee has received an out-of-court settlement of more than £130,000 after she accused the broadcaster of failing to meet its obligations over equal pay.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com