The Equality Act Series of Events

To celebrate 10 years of the Equality Act, Doughty Street has held a series of events over the course of the year.

In case you missed it, all these events are now available to watch on playback using the links below.

We will be hosting further events later this year from several of our practice teams on the following topics:

CoP: How the Equality Act can promote the rights of people with mental health issues or cognitive disability
Actions Against the Police: Discrimination claims against the police
Employment: 10 Years of The Equality Act: 10 Key Employment Cases
Immigration: Using the Equality Act in the immigration and asylum context

To register your interest and to keep up to date, sign up here.

Further details on each of the events will follow in due course.

Previous Equality Act Events...

Direct Discrimination and Harassment

27th April 2021

David Stephenson and Amanda Hart will be discussing a selection of cases that have arisen over the last 10 years to highlight some of the more difficult areas of these two strands of discrimination law. Giving short presentations followed by discussion and Q&As. The session is aimed at both employment and non-employment lawyers, who have some knowledge of this area of law.

Watch the recording here.

Indirect discrimination

12th May 2021

Continuing our series of events to mark 10 years of the Equality Act 2010, this webinar will focus on the concept of indirect discrimination, including how the Act’s new approach was intended to make it easier for claimants to succeed and how its provisions have been used over the past decade.

Speakers: Henrietta Hill QC and Sue Sleeman

Watch the recording here.

Using the Equality Act 2010: Rights and Remedies for Disabled People

8th June 2021 | 3pm

Continuing our series of events to mark 10 years of the Equality Act 2010, this will be an introductory level webinar for disabled people and their representative organisations to gain an understanding of various forms of disability-based discrimination. The speakers will cover direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, discrimination arising from disability, failure to provide reasonable accommodation, harassment and victimisation.

Each will be illustrated by a case-study. The speakers will also outline non-discrimination provisions in the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the UK ratified in 2009.

Speakers: Oliver Lewis, Sarah Steinhardt, Alice Irving

Watch the recording here.

Evidence and key concepts/definitions

15th June 2021

The Equality Act 2010 is a powerful and ground breaking piece of legislation, and understanding the structure and framework of the Act is essential to using it effectively in litigation. The final webinar in the series looks at key concepts and definitions such as burden of proof, protected characteristics, positive action and jurisdiction, and will wrap up the series with a focus on the practicalities of using the Act.
Speakers: Leonie Hirst (chair), Jamie Burton, Zia Nabi

Watch the recording here.

Challenging cuts to public services in a post-Covid world

28th June 2021 | 4pm

After the financial crisis in 2010 significant cuts were made to public services under the banner of austerity. Post the pandemic, it is widely anticipated that further cuts will be made to the welfare state, with significant consequences for the people who rely on those services. This seminar will look at the law as it applies to decisions made on this context, with a particular focus on discrimination and Equality Act 2010, consultation and legitimate expectation. It will provide legal and practical advice for lawyers, activists and civil society organisations who are concerned about the prospect of another bout of austerity in all but name.

Speakers: Jamie Burton QC (Chair), Leonie Hirst, Alice Irving and Oliver Carter of Irwin Mitchell.

Watch the recording here.

Discrimination in public law

29th June 2021 | 4pm

This seminar will be an update on recent developments involving discrimination in public law cases. It will focus on welfare benefits and immigration, but will aim to explain the important developments in general discrimination law, which we hope will be of interest to claimant practitioners in all areas of public law.

The speakers and topics will be as follows:

Shu Shin Luh: Discrimination on grounds of other status

Carla Clarke: Some key recent and pending discrimination cases and the role of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Michael Spencer: Discrimination against refugees and access to benefits, positive discrimination and Thlimmenos.

Adam Straw QC: Justification, and disability discrimination

Carla Clarke is CPAG’s head of strategic litigation. Shu Shin, Michael and Adam are barristers at Doughty Street Chambers.

Watch the recording here.