Is the Supreme Court a guardian of the constitution or enemy of the people? This was the question under discussion at a panel event on Wednesday 24 May. The debate ranged from the court’s role post-Brexit to judicial appointments. Chair of JUSTICE’s Judicial Diversity Working Party and JUSTICE Council member Nathalie Lieven QC spoke on the panel. She […]
We are expanding our legal team
May 17, 2017
We have a new staff vacancy for a Lawyer focussed on strengthening the criminal justice stream of our work. This provides an exciting opportunity for a practising lawyer with a strong research background or an academic lawyer to engage in high-level policy and law reform work. In February 2016 JUSTICE launched Complex and Lengthy Criminal […]
JUSTICE publishes ‘pocket guide’ for Scottish lawmakers
May 10, 2017
As the makers of our laws, as our representatives, and in holding the Scottish Government to account, MSPs wear many hats. To support them in this, JUSTICE has published a new report, Law for Scottish lawmakers: A JUSTICE guide to the law. The report, an update of our 2015 Westminster focussed publication Law For lawmakers, […]
Increasing judicial diversity is vital to a fairer justice system – a JUSTICE working party gives its recommendations
April 25, 2017
Despite the diverse make-up of the United Kingdom, our senior judiciary is dominated by white and privately educated men. The new JUSTICE report, Increasing judicial diversity, explores the structural barriers faced by women, people from visible ethnic minorities and those from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds in reaching the bench. The report explains why diversity is a vital […]
Prisons and Courts Bill: JUSTICE briefing
April 6, 2017
JUSTICE has produced a briefing on the Prisons and Courts Bill for the Second Reading. It addresses our initial concerns over the written and online processes created by Part 2, and the changes proposed to the judiciary and the Judicial Appointments Commission in Parts 3 and 4: For Part 2, there are a number of principles […]
What can be done about judicial diversity?
April 3, 2017
Ideas for achieving better diversity in the senior judiciary of England and Wales were discussed at a panel event, organised by the London Solicitors Litigation Association and JUSTICE, on Monday 20 March. In the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court there are only two judges who are from non-white ethnic minority groups, and only around […]
JUSTICE response: Reforming the Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme
March 8, 2017
In March 2017, JUSTICE responded to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on reform of the funding scheme which pays advocates to defend clients in the Crown Court. The manner in which defence advocates are remunerated for cases involving mentally vulnerable defendants comes within the work of our Working Party on Mental Health and Fair Trial. […]
Apply for the JUSTICE Spring externship programme
February 28, 2017
JUSTICE invites applications for our Spring 2017 externship programme. This is an unpaid remote-working internship, lasting up to 6 weeks with a total commitment of 10 – 15 hours. The successful applicants will work remotely on a research project looking at digitising the existing court and tribunal model in the UK and will be supervised […]
JUSTICE response: Joint Committee on Human Rights’ inquiry into mental health and deaths in prison
In February 2017, JUSTICE responded to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ call for written submissions to its inquiry into mental health and deaths in prison, which was launched in order to establish whether a human rights-based approach can lead to better prevention of deaths in prison of people with mental health conditions. Our response […]
Call for nominations: Immigration and Asylum Determination Reform Working Party
February 21, 2017
JUSTICE is inviting members to apply to join our working party on Immigration and Asylum Determination Reform. The Working Party will look at the determination processes in immigration and asylum cases and how these might be reformed in line with the Government’s Reform Programme. We are looking for immigration and asylum practitioners, academics, user representatives, […]