Reimagining the Law 11 June 2020

1. The law is a male construct

All legal systems should address the gendered nature of law and the inescapable underlying problem that law is a male construct. It was made from a male perspective and drew upon male experience. We still have women facing double sexual standards; courts failing to deal adequately with domestic violence and rape; women's evidence being given less value or requiring corroboration.
Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, QC

2. Cuts in legal aid

The cuts in legal aid for civil matters and excessive legal fees are creating a huge deficit in equality before the law.
Lord Collins of Mapesbury

3. Healing and reconciliation

All lawyers should commit to

a. being healers and reconcilers and wherever possible to helping clients to find cooperative solutions to problems
b. engaging respectfully and courteously with clients and professional counterparts at all times
c. using adversarial processes only as a last resort
d. collaboration as an ethical responsibility.
John Sturrock QC

4. Health Inequalities

To address widening health inequalities, health impact assessments of new (and existing) laws and policies should be routine. Precarious jobs, punitive benefits sanctions and legal aid cuts are not just unfair, they also ensure that the poorest and most marginalised citizens experience more ill health and have shorter life expectancies.
Professor Emily Jackson

5. Court Reform

As part of the court reform programme, all remaining court staff should receive training, guidance and encouragement on supporting and becoming part of court based access to justice initiatives. This should be accompanied by increased remuneration to reflect the greater level of responsibility.
Eddie Coppinger