Five reasons to support TeamJUSTICE in the Royal Parks Half Marathon

On Sunday 8 October 2017, runners from across the legal profession are taking on the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon, in aid of JUSTICE. Research has found that less than half of people in England and Wales have confidence in the effectiveness of the justice system. The money raised by TeamJUSTICE through running the 13.1 mile route will support ‘What is a trial?’ – a new JUSTICE Working Party set up to help change this, as well as our other work.

By Josiah Mackenzie, under a CC BY 2.0 license

This is why you should considering donating in support of TeamJUSTICE:

  1. There is a disconnect between professional court users and members of the public engaged in the trial process. Legal processes and constructs can be confusing and distressing, yet little effort has been made to truly address this. The What is a trial? Working Party aims to improve the participation of court users in their own proceedings, from which they are often excluded by what JUSTICE considers to be overly legalistic processes.
  2. Digitisation is coming. The Working Party will look at the language, interaction and questioning processes engaged during the adversarial trial, from the user’s perspective, including considering the digitisation of the court process and ensuring this places the lay user at its centre, and will be assisted where necessary.
  3. JUSTICE has good form in this area of work. The What is a trial? Working Party will build on JUSTICE’s 2016 What is a Court? report, which recommended a re-focus of the court estate on the needs of the user; with flexible justice spaces that can be located closer to the communities they serve; and investment in technology for remote and virtual proceedings. What is a Court? directly influenced the transformation of the court estate. What is a trial? will also build on JUSTICE’s 2015 report In the Dock, including proposals  which HM Courts & Tribunals Service is taking forward as part of its reform programme.
  4. You will also be supporting the wider work of JUSTICE. We provide lawyers with a strong, impartial and influential voice to defend the rule of law, access to justice and human rights. But JUSTICE is a small charity, with limited resources. We rely very heavily on the help – both practical and financial – of our supporters. Without that support we simply could not continue our work.
  5. TeamJUSTICE brings together runners from across the legal profession. TeamJUSTICE is made up of teams from Brick Court Chambers, Simmons & Simmons LLP, Blake Morgan LLP, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, Katten Muchin Rosenman UK LLP and Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, all working together to support JUSTICE.

Ways to support TeamJUSTICE

  • Donate in support of TeamJUSTICE, or sponsor a specific runner here at the fundraising page.
  • Spread the word on social media about #TeamJUSTICE and why they are running the #RoyalParksHalf.
  • Cheer on our TeamJUSTICE runners on the day – look out for the JUSTICE t-shirts and banners

Read more about the TeamJUSTICE runners and why they are raising money
Find out more about the What is a trial? Working Party