#publicdisco = PLP’s discrimination law conference

Public Law Project’s discrimination law conference is back with three days of seminars from 6 to 8 of July.  It’s presented in accessible morning and afternoon bite sized chunks, all on Zoom with Speech to Text Reporting (STTR) throughout.   The event will also be available to delegates post-conference in PLP’s learning portal.  £10 + VAT tickets available to activists and campaigners without a training budget. Presented in partnership and with the kind support of Matrix Chambers.

Tuesday 6 July

9.00: Introduction: Jo Hickman, Director, Public Law Project

9.05-9.30: Opening conversation
Dr Halima Begum, Director of Runnymede Trust, is  in conversation with Ayesha Christie of Matrix Chambers, on the role of the law in framing race.

9.30-11.00: State of play with the Public Sector Equality Duty 

This session will look at recent trends and cases, and the potential impact of Government reforms to judicial review on remedies for discrimination.

Chair: Elizabeth Prochaska, 11KBW and Chair, Public Law Project
Nicola Braganza, Garden Court Chambers
Meg Goulding, Liberty
Svetlana Kotova, Inclusion London
John Halford, Bindmans

14.00-15.30: Evidencing and litigating race discrimination 

This session will look at identifying and litigating race discrimination , and at the role and effect of investigations into race discrimination in the public sector.

Chair: Dan Rosenberg, Simpson Millar
Raj Desai, Matrix Chambers
Michael Etienne, Garden Court Chambers
Alba Kapoor, Runnymede Trust
Matthew Smith, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Ruby Williams

Wednesday 7 July

9.00-10.30: Retained EU law and equality rights

‘One day the law of the EU will apply, the next it won’t’, as one senior politician once said of the post-Brexit legal settlement. This session will look at the complex reality of this evolving and vast legal area.

Chair: Alison Pickup, Public Law Project
Catherine Casserley, Cloisters Chambers
Allan Cerim, Brick Court Chambers
Professor Tarunabh Khaitan, University of Oxford Faculty of Law
Ollie Persey, Garden Court Chambers

14.00-15.30: Challenging discrimination in the benefits system 

Chair: Olivia Mowll, Public Law Project
Matt Ahluwalia, Garden Court Chambers
Sarah Clarke, Cambridge House
Tessa Gregory, Leigh Day
Jessica Jones, Matrix Chambers
Martin Williams, Child Poverty Action Group

Thursday 8 July

9.00-10.30: Algorithm and data discrimination

The UK Government already uses algorithms and big data to make decisions across a vast range of areas. From A-level results to sham marriages, to visa applications and benefits decisions, this session looks at the intersection of technology, public law and discrimination.

Chair: Tatianna Kazim, Public Law Project
Robin Allen QC, Cloisters Chambers
Professor Sofia Ranchordas, University of Groningen
Tom Royston, Garden Court North
Monika Sobiecki, Bindmans

14.00-15.30: ‘Other status’ cases under Article 14
Chair: Adam Straw QC, Doughty Street Chambers
Chris Buttler QC, Matrix Chambers
Amanda Weston QC, Garden Court Chambers
More speakers TBA

15.30-16.00: Closing conversation
Joeli Brearley, Pregnant Then Screwed, in conversation with Ellie Phillips

Joeli launched Pregnant Then Screwed on International Women’s Day in 2015, as a space for mothers to share their stories of discrimination. It has evolved into an organisation tackling the root causes of maternity discrimination and promoting the rights of women.

Ticket prices:

• Standard: £99 + VAT
• Discounted (charities and NGOs): £75 + VAT
• Student (students, campaigners and activists without a training budget): £10 + VAT

For any queries, please email the PLP Events Team.

Please note that all bookings are manually processed by our Events Team, and so it might take 1-2 business days for you to receive confirmation of your booking.