We promote equality within the legal profession and provide support to solicitors from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Covering London City Island, Goodluck Hope, Orchard Wharf, East India Dock, Blackwall, Poplar Dock Marina, Westferry, Poplar, Bow, Waltham Forest, Newham, Redbridge, Barking & Dagenham, Haringey and Enfield.
London City Island Junior Lawyers Division promotes equality within the legal profession and provides support both unqualified and qualified solicitors from Black, disadvantaged and other ethnic backgrounds throughout the journey to qualify as a solicitor in all areas of law.
LONDON CITY ISLAND JUNIOR LAWYERS DIVISION GROUP WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE ALL THE BEST DURING THE CURRENT PANDEMIC. PLEASE STAY SAFE
The Race On Equality Agenda ROTA Charity has launched a Black and Other Minority Ethnic project explaining the use of the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Law Project aims to support frontline organisations to understand and use the Equality Act 2010. It will do so by:
Supporting frontline organisations to comply with equality law; and Supporting frontline organisations to hold public authorities to account under equality law (health, education and criminal justice).
The Equality Act 2010 is the most fundamental overhaul of UK antidiscrimination and equality law. Its two main purposes are to 1) harmonise discrimination law and 2) strengthen the law to support progress on equality. The Equality Act has significant implications for frontline organisations and statutory bodies working within the voluntary and community sector.
The Act has come at a time when localism and Big Society agenda require citizens to be ‘active’ in influencing and shaping local priorities and services. In order to effectively represent and provide services to black, minority ethnic & refugee (BME&R) populations within this political context, frontline organisations must have a better understanding of the rights and opportunities as well as the obligations under the Equality Act.
Over the next two years the project will deliver training to 300 frontline organisations on the Equality Act, including holding public authorities to account under the Public Sector Equality Duty; gather statistics on race equality in the service areas of health, education, and criminal justice; develop FAQ pages; and support frontline organisations to hold public authorities to account in service delivery and the commissioning of services for BME&R populations.
Check the ROTA website and or twitter for updates on upcoming events / training; law and policy and to learn from each other’s experience.
On 5 April 2011 the public sector equality duty (psed) came into force in England, Scotland and Wales. This duty replaces the existing race, disability and gender equality duties.
Below is a selection of updates on key case law interpreting the Equality Act.
http://equalities.rota.org.uk/content/case-law#
http://equalities.rota.org.uk/content/case-law#
http://equalities.rota.org.uk/content/case-law#
http://equalities.rota.org.uk/content/case-law#
DISCLAIMER: London City Island LCI Junior Lawyers Division Group do not provide legal services to the public. If you require legal advice you may find assistance from The Law Society atwww.thelawsociety.org.uk.
LCI Junior Lawyers Division Group do not wish to duplicate the work of other JLD groups. We expect our work to overlap the efforts of other JLD’s and aim to work with all JLD’s to develop and build on any areas of law.
Diversity and inclusion framework
Often there is a leap to action on diversity and inclusion (D&I) – a sense of urgency to ‘do something’. This can lead to activity that is reactive to immediate pressures, short lived or not properly resourced. This framework encourages you to take a systematic approach and embed D&I in a way that has a lasting impact.
Aim of the framework
This framework guides you through three steps to develop and deliver a strategic approach and action plan. We have included an action plan template, as well as links to additional guidance and resources for more detailed help. If you are already taking action, it will help you review and identify any gaps or areas for ongoing improvement.
Step 1: Establish purpose – why you need to act
Step 2: Develop a plan – why you need to act
Step 3: Ensure performance – how actions are delivered and lead to change
D&I Update 2023
LCIJLD chair attended the Legal Services Board at Clifford Chance breakfast discussion on Diversity & InclusionFrom evidence to action: Tackling the EDI challenges in the legal services sector held in June 2023 at the upcoming JLD meeting on 20th August 2023. Check the events page for further details.
SQE updates – For more information please email: president@lcijuniorlawyers.co.uk
The Legal Services Board Strategy Plan for 2021 – 2022.
Click here for the National Junior Lawyers Division response.
The LawWorks Annual Clinics Report 2020
The report covers a period in which clinics have mostly been operating under Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and dealing with the impact of the ongoing public health crisis. The report includes more qualitative information than in previous years, which explores the impact that Covid-19 has had on trends in demand, and clinic case studies that detail how services have made adjustments in order to continue to operate. Key findings from the report include:
Clinics received 49,652 enquiries; 43,018 people were helped (15,370 people were given information or signposted, 27,648 people received legal advice)
Over 9,000 individuals were recorded as volunteering across the Network
25% of enquiries were in relation to employment law matters, unlike in previous years where the highest number of enquiries was for family law matters
Of the recorded demographic data, which had a lower submission rate than usual; 23% of clients identified as having a disability, 53% of clients were from black and minority ethnic communities. Copy the link below for the full report:
https://www.lawworks.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/LawWorks-Clinics-Report-2020-web.pdf
If you would like support to enter the profession contact the Law Society to find out whether you are eligible for the Diversity Access Scheme copy the link below:
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/research/diversity-access-scheme-review
Know someone who has done the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or studying now? Here are the three ways they can qualifying as a solicitor through the LPC route.
Click here for the SRA LinkedIn page for further information or email to confirm your attendance at the 2023 LCIJLD member meeting on tbc: Treasurer@lcijuniorlawyers.co.uk
Experienced Professionals
LCI Junior Lawyers Division membership are services tailored specifically for legal professionals. Membership is available to LPC students, LPC graduates, Paralegals (with an LPC), Bar students, Trainee solicitors, Barristers and Qualified solicitors up to 5 years pqe.
The annual membership fee covers full access to the monthly JLD meetings, discounts to exclusive LCI JLD events, JLD workshops, Law Society events, careers advice, career development workshops, jobs boards, social events, short breaks, conferences etc.
SRA Immigration & Asylum Law Update 2023
What are we trying to do?
All solicitors should uphold the high professional standards that we and the public expect of them. This is especially important in areas such as immigration where those involved may be among the most vulnerable in society.
To make sure this is happening we are promoting the materials available to firms to help them understand and meet their obligations. We are also highlighting how we will take action if and when we find this is not the case.
What’s going on?
Users of immigration and asylum legal services can be some of the most vulnerable people in society. The consequences of poor legal services can be particularly severe, long-lasting, and difficult to rectify for this group.
This is an area of work where providers need to be up-to-date in what is often a challenging landscape, and the public need to have confidence that the profession are high professional standards.
Guidance and support for firms
Published in November 2022, our latest immigration guidance provides law firms and solicitors with guidance on issues such as:
In support of this guidance we have also published a range of further resources to help firms and individual understand their obligations and what best practice looks like in this area.
Thematic Review
We published a thematic review of immigration services in 2023 which found that while overall there was a good standard of service provided by the law firms we reviewed, there were still some areas that needed addressing. Many of these issues were addressed in the above guidance.
Our enforcement work
If we find evidence that solicitors or firms we regulate have acted in ways that contravene our rules, and in particular their duty to act legally and uphold the law, we can and will take action.
For instance, in the last year action we have taken has resulted in solicitors been struck off for failure to carry out their immigration duties properly, and in July 2023 we intervened into three law firms involved in immigration services, as a result of information provided to us by the media.
If you have any information or evidence that a solicitor or firm has acted illegally or unethically please report them to us.
Further work
We are commencing a wider thematic inspection of the immigration sector, looking at compliance with our 2022 new guidance. This will look at a cross section of firms working in the asylum sector.
We are expanding and promoting the information on our rules and best practice within immigration which is available to law firms.
We have published a range of information, including new content tailored to asylum seekers and interpreters, on the public-facing Legal Choices.
For more information on the work the SRA is conducting to ensure Immigration services are adequately protected and provided log on to SRA.org.uk
Environmental Law charity update
The committee members of LCI Junior Lawyers Division were inspired by the Environmental law case of Fishermen & Friends of the Sea v. The Minister of Planning, Housing and the Environment (Trinidad and Tobago) [2017] UKPC 37, 27 November 2017.
The chair has an LL.B in Law in which she received a first for Environmental Law studies from the London Metropolitan University on her dissertation on the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which is home to the London City Island JLD. We are interested in fundraising events that address and develop the heart of the laws that govern and protect our planet.
LCI Junior Lawyers are keen to work with Environmental law professionals both in the UK and Internationally to keep abreast of this growing field and continue to share legal knowledge as well as arranging fundraising events to promote awareness.
All monies raised from these events will be donated to a local charity that benefits the environment and helps children.
The birth of the Junior Solicitors Network – Does the “so called” level playing field in the legal profession have a ceiling?
LCIJLD chair updates on the Solicitors Network chair attempt to exclude local JLD’s at the upcoming JLD meeting on 20th August 2023. Check member access for further details.
BREAKING NEWS
The treasurer of LCIJLD has always maintained that TLS had a funding pot for local JLD’s.
Early 2023 HMRC & SARS found the Law Society guilty of funding the same local law societies & JLD’s.
Our questions
1 Why does the Law society always give the money to the same groups?
Their answer is that TLS no longer fund local JLD’s and Law Societies.
2 Why won’t TLS partner every heavily funded JLDs and local law society with the JLD’s that have never been supported but their ideas are widely and hugely used for data from which they get paid.
3 What is a SAR? Discussed at our first JLD committee meeting of 2024. Log into the members access for the minutes and outcome of that meeting and how and when to report a SAR.
And what happens if they do not answer the complaint?
Is this legal?
We ask these questions because we attend the JLD meetings where Jonathan Andrews said to email him about any questions, which we did but received no reply.
How can our profession claim to be inclusive when they block unqualified delegates.
How can the Law Society claim to have opportunities for unqualified delegates but since 2019 whenever LCIJLD attempt to access the “so called” opportunities promoted by the Law Society we are blocked and these opportunities suddenly disappear?
How can it be that the chair and treasurer of LCIJLD cannot access the unqualified opportunities previously offered by the Law Society?
TLS claim funds for Black, unqualified and disadvantaged delegates. What happened to the funds that were provided for these delegates by the Legal Services Board in 2019 for the next 10 years discussed at the National Junior Lawyers committee meeting held on 3rd October 2019 when Amy Clowrey the then chair presented this to the executive committee?
4 Why is it that only “gentlemen or women” can access funding and support that is not for them?
5 What is TLS doing to bridge the gap between gentlemen and working class delegates?
ANSWER NOTHING!
But please be rest assured that we will be invited to every meeting to give our opinion so that TLS can continue to get paid from it.
Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893] 1 QB 256 Court of Appeal – Offer and Acceptance generally recognised as essential requirements for formation of a contract. An offer will lead to a binding contact on acceptance. In order to amount to an offer it must be shown that the offeror had the intention to be bound.
How does this apply to setting up a local JLD in 2018/19?
Why was the JLD handbook updated to remove the support provided to local JLD’s?
Why did the HMRC investigation into TLS find that the “same JLD’s and local law societies were funded” by TLS?
How is TLS supporting and including the groups such as LCIJLD whom TLS claim to be working with?
Which parts of the LCIJLD pitch deck are actively used by TLS?
LCIJLD launching our new ideas for 2024 – our new pitch deck has arrived. We will discuss how and why the same people get the same awards and opportunities from TLS and how to protect your venture capital ideas.
This continuous conversation and more will be discussed at our upcoming meeting Sunday 14th April 2024 @ 3pm. Do not forget to log on for more information on these pressing topics.
Thank you to the solicitors that addressed the issues they faced being qualified and unable to secure work. All of whom after working with LCIJLD they were able to enter the profession. LCIJLD will continue to use your experiences to support new delegates who wish to enter the profession to provide transparency in the real world of the UK legal profession.
Focus points for upcoming meetings:
Data protection breaches
Companies House
National Junior Lawyers Division
Solicitors Network
Conflict and corruption in the profession and how to protect yourself prior and post qualification.
The ongoing crisis of legal services, demand of advice services, lack of legal advisors in post, lack of opportunities to gain experience, discrimination in advice services, decline of the legal system, unethical solicitors and barristers etc.
Legal Services Board 2024
In January the Legal Services Board approved urging regulators to take decisive action against lawyers’ unethical conduct, including preventing victims of discrimination from speaking out or failing to uphold the rule of law.
In February the LSB held the Reshaping Legal Services Conference. The event brought together people from across the legal services sector, including regulators, charities, the third sector, government representatives from England and Wales, the judiciary, students, and academics. Members of the public were also invited to attend.
LCIJLD brought the many various topics discussed at the conference to the National Junior Lawyers Division, the Law Centre Network and TLS back in 2019. These issues were addressed further in our pitch deck actively used since 2023 by TLS.
Additionally LCIJLD raised the current issue within the domestic violence profession to MOPAC. Whilst the leading domestic violence agencies adopted the changes to date only local authorities continue to lead and provide non discriminatory services. – check out the Sisters in Law blog for the full story.
Housing Law charity update
Homelessness has fast become a global issue. This growing area has become an issue that has been researched by the LCI Junior lawyer division group committee members through work with various homeless charities. LCI JLD will carry out workshops around this ongoing area and invite speakers from homeless organisations to discuss how this area is being tackled and update the JLD members of changes to the Homelessness Law in line the the Homelessness Reduction Act which came into effect in 2018.
In March 2024 Avion Headley has been approached to provide expertise on the issues faced by the millions of LPC graduates in alternative careers and why university students in 2024 have lost confidence in TLS. Our member only event next month will expand on her findings, the position of TLS, the LSB and how the legal profession will be impacted. This and how to get ahead in the profession without taking a salary drop will be discussed at our upcoming committee meeting in April and will follow into the member event in May. Log into the members only access area for further details.
The Legal Services Board held the Reshaping Legal Services Conference. The full details including slides from the conference will be discussed at the upcoming JLD meeting in April.
In July 2023 Avion Headley resumed working as an immigration paralegal and was approached by a legal professional to accept private client referrals for Immigration work. Look out for the upcoming blog and check out the SRA updates in how to remain compliant within the Immigration field.
In 2019 Avion Headley attended the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry 20 years on event. What have we learnt? What still needs to be done?
At the end of 2020 The Law Society Gazette reported the disparity between the salaries of qualified solicitors from the Black and Other Ethnic communities and their white qualified colleagues. Read the link below for the full story.
Testimonials: The heart and essence of why we do what we do. Real east end junior lawyers. London living, working and giving back to our communities.
The faces of law are becoming more Black and Other Ethnic. If you are interested in joining the profession read the links below:
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/career-advice/
Register with the Law Society for a free 45-minute career advice clinic.
To book a place email: careers@lawsociety.org.uk
Thinking about starting a career in-house or considering a move from private practice to in-house? Click here
At LCI Junior Lawyers Division we are always learning and want to develop our legal expertise so that the future legal profession continues to remain preserved. We live in a time where law is integrating into society making it an integral part of our day to day experiences. The issues that affect Black and other ethnic unqualified and qualified solicitors will be addressed by LCIJLD.
Due to the contentious issues raised by the allegations against Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs, LCIJLD wish the males from the Caribbean, African and Black communities in the UK ongoing support around the issues raised by the allegations. For those males who are directly affected having been the victim of sexual violence especially the under aged males, do not hesitate to reach out if you would like to raise an issue regarding an adult male that has abused their position. LCIJLD will sign post you to the recognized sexual violence organizations that support male victims. Do not allow the “so called”social status of a male adult abuser to deter you from seeking legal representation to bring an action against the perpetrator(s). VAWG is equally unacceptable against men and boys. LCIJLD is aware of the stigma within the Caribbean, African and Black community around homosexuality which should not be allowed to prevent victims for seeking justice. Further LCIJLD are aware that within the black community there is no protection the females brave enough to talk about the homosexuality issues within the community. These women are victimized, stigmatized and isolated from their community by both men and women. LCIJLD encourage these women to remain confident and continue the conversation. For more information on legal support contact: President@lcijuniorlawyers.co.uk
sexualabusesupport.campaign.gov.uk
Some 21% of solicitors in England and Wales have a Black and other Ethnic background, according to the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) latest statistics, with little variation according to seniority – 20% of partners in law firms are also Black and other Ethnic.
However, there are differences in representation at senior levels when looking at firms by size. The largest firms (50 or more partners) have the lowest proportion of Black and Other Ethnic partners – only 8%. This contrasts with small firms that have just one partner, where 34% of partners are from a Black and Other Ethnic background.
Why is there such a disparity in Black and Other Ethnic representation at senior levels between the high street and the City? It is also present when looking at gender – only 29% of partners at the top 50 firms are women despite the fact that women make up 48% of all practising solicitors. This also means that there are large pay gaps at leading firms.
The proportion of Black and Other Ethnic partners in law firms has remained much the same since 2014, which reinforces the perception among critics and equality advocates that like the Bar, the elite end of the solicitors’ profession is self-replicating, dominated by largely white, male partners from the same socioeconomic and educational background promoting people who ‘fit in’ with them.
Read the Law Society’s article on Promoting race inclusivity in the workplace: A toolkit for organisations at the link below:
LCIJLD will focus on the issues and solutions that affect Black, Asian, disadvantaged (low income Caucasian) and other ethnic unqualified and qualified junior lawyers.
LCI Junior Lawyers will continue to launch projects aimed at supporting all levels of LPC graduates to qualify as a solicitor as part of the work currently being carried out by the SRA in light of the new rules that come into effect from April 2021 for the qualifying work experience and SQE 2 as well as the training contract exemption scheme period of recognized training from October 2021.
The legal profession has evolved to the point that we will no longer have a the Legal Practice Course LPC. New methods have led to new practices and methods of learning. Internationally the legal profession is about to take on a new approach to learning methods in terms of routes to qualification. The National Junior Lawyers division are working tirelessly to ensure that the replacement of the LPC by SQE1&2 has been thoroughly considered. All concerns have been addressed by the past and current chair and will continue to be updated by the committee member representative of local JLDs.
Copy the link below for a link to the National Junior Lawyers Division session on how to secure a training contract or newly qualified position:
For more information contact: President@lcijuniorlawyers.co.uk
We will also be offering career development support which includes work experience for those who have been unable to find qualifying legal experience in order to complete the period of recognised training.
Secondment opportunities are available for junior lawyers in practice.
Contact us for further information on this project by email: president@lcijuniorlawyers.co.uk
The SRA have published online resources and tools to support junior lawyers to complete their qualifying work experience with a list of competencies.
Copy the link below for the SRA training template.
A taboo subject within the profession until the unlawful killing of George Floyd in the USA May 2020. Read the Law Society response to the killing and decisions to make changes within the profession in support of the BLM movement. Then compare this to the plight of the black community who have continued to maintain their position since the murder of Stephen Lawrence in April 1993. What has really happened since the Macpherson report? Read the timeline of events that have taken place since his death below:
https://communities.lawsociety.org.uk/october-2020/black-lives-matter-in-law/6001397.article
