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Silent sufferers? Bar’s efforts to improve harassment reporting failing
The Bar Standards Board is to “reflect” on the duty on barristers to report harassment, with efforts to improve reporting proving ineffective, as it looks at new measures to tackle bullying and harassment.
Chambers “expected” to commit to race audits and ‘positive action’
Chambers should conduct race equality audits and, if necessary, introduce “positive action” to address the problems identified, as well as publish anti-racist statements, the BSB is set to say.
Report questions equality initiatives that “set women apart”
Some of the measures used by law firms to tackle a lack of gender diversity in senior roles could be “ineffective or even counter-productive”, a report has found.
Legal aid lawyers under severe pressure because of Covid
Four-fifths of legal aid lawyers have experienced stress as a result of the pandemic, with more than half of them blaming longer working hours, according to a survey.
Dentons trials workflow app that “could remove” unconscious bias
A global law firm is trialling a workflow app developed by one of its associates, who says it could save City practices up to £6m a year by making work allocation more efficient.
Leading firm signs up to solicitor’s ‘Fair Redundancy Pledge’
Law firm Shakespeare Martineau has become the first major business to sign up to a ‘Fair Redundancy Pledge’ to be transparent on their redundancy programmes for this year and beyond.
LSB approves new route to qualifying as a solicitor
The new way of qualifying as a solicitor, including passing a centralised, two-part examination, will go live from 1 September 2021 after the Legal Services Board approved the reforms.
Female lawyers anxious over disproportionate impact of Covid
Almost a quarter of women in the profession have not seen their incomes return to pre-Covid levels with one in five still on less than their previous working hours, a survey has found.
City solicitor fails in claim for pay reduced during Covid
A City solicitor who agreed to lower wages during lockdown has failed in his claim for full pay for his last month after handing in his notice.
“Don’t drain law firms of Black talent”, GCs told
General counsel have become so insistent in demanding that law firms give them Black candidates for secondments and legal work that they are in danger of draining them of Black talent.
Bullying at the Bar “tolerated”, with pupils suffering most
Bullying, discrimination and harassment at the Bar is perceived to be tolerated “to a certain extent” due to its “adversarial, male-dominated culture and competitive nature”, new research has found.
In-house solicitor wins unfair dismissal claim against insurer
A solicitor working in-house at a leading insurer has won his claim for unfair dismissal. But had it followed the correct procedure, the dismissal would likely have been justified, the tribunal said.
Obelisk adds paralegals and junior lawyers to freelance pool
Flexible resourcing pioneer Obelisk Support has launched a new paralegal service for law firms and in-house teams, with plans to add 500 full-time paralegals and junior lawyers to its talent pool.
Employee ownership move like “rocket fuel”, says firm
A niche law firm which advises on employee share ownership and executive pay has become the latest to convert to an employee ownership trust.
Race equality and inclusion in law firms “totally achievable”
Bonuses for managers could be made contingent on improvements in social mobility and the representation of minority ethnic people in law firms, it was suggested yesterday.