Public Law and Judicial Review North: Benefit Sanctions and the Rule of Law

Our North conference in 2017 focuses on the impact and legality of benefit sanctions. There will also be a mix of public law and access to justice seminars and workshops suitable for lawyers, advisers, policy people & NGOs.

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9.30 ARRIVAL AND REGISTRATION

10.00 INTRODUCTION
Alison Pickup, Legal Director, Public Law Project

10.05 BENEFIT SANCTIONS AND THE RULE OF LAW
Michael Adler, Emeritus Professor of Socio-Legal Studies, School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh

10.35 HOW THE FIRST TIER TRIBUNAL (FTT) DEALS WITH
SANCTIONS FOLLOWING ‘REILLY’
Stewart Wright, Judge of the Upper Tribunal

11.05 Refreshment and snacks

11.20 RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT OF BENEFIT SANCTIONS
Richard Crellin, Policy Officer, The Children’s Society
Sumi Rabindrakumar, Research Officer, Gingerbread

11.50 TOP PUBLIC LAW CASES OF THE YEAR
Matt Stanbury, Garden Court North Chambers &
Alastair Wallace, Irwin Mitchell

12.30: MORNING BREAKOUT SESSIONS CHOOSE ONE OF THREE BELOW

1. Public law remedies and sanctioning
Sanctions can have a very serious and long-lasting effect on claimants’ lives, but challenging them is frequently difficult and time consuming. Come to this session and learn how to:
– write a complaint letter which gets results;
– speed up appeals;
– spot and fund test case litigation;
– use judicial review in urgent cases;
– win damages for discriminatory treatment
Tom Royston, Garden Court North &
Katy Watts, Public Law Project

2. Public law workshop
Open discussion about how to challenge recurrent themes and systemic problems faced by clients and service users dealing with public bodies.
Sara Lomri & Alison Pickup, Public Law Project

3. Interim relief in review cases
Practice and procedure in urgent judicial review cases.
Ian Brownhill, No 5 Chambers

13.30 Lunch (50 minutes)

AFTERNOON SESSION
Chair: Pete Weatherby QC, Garden Court North chambers

14.20 Anti-social behaviour legislation, poverty and discrimination
The use of injunctions and other ‘remedies’ against vulnerable people on the streets
James Stark, Garden Court North Chambers

14.50 Article 6 in Social Welfare Law
Zoë Leventhal, Landmark Chambers

15.20 Break

15.35 Afternoon breakouts: 15.35 – 16.35

CHOOSE ONE OF THREE BELOW

4. Bringing an Equality Act claim in the County Court concerning housing, benefits or education
Practice, procedure and common legal aid problems arising in county court discrimination claims, including those brought by way of counterclaim.
Joseph Markus, Garden Court North Chambers &
Clare Fowler, Howells LLP

5. Developing sustainable advice services
This is a workshop aimed at NfP’s in the advice sector, and will cover common issues in development and governance for NfP advice services.
Mark Schwenk, barrister Kenworthy Chambers and Management Committee Member, Greater Manchester Law Centre &
Matthew Howgate of Matthew Howgate Consulting &
Chris Minnoch, Operations Director, Legal Aid Practitioners Group (LAPG)

6. Litigating the cuts – an update
Oliver Carter, Irwin Mitchell &
David Wolfe QC, Matrix Chambers

16.35 Brexit and Benefits
Dr Charlotte O’Brien, York Law School

17.05 Closing Address: Access to justice and the Rule of Law
Pete Weatherby QC, Garden Court North Chambers

17.25 Finish

Standard fee: £192 (£160+VAT) per delegate – private practice and public bodies.
Discounted fee: £90 (£75 + VAT) per delegate – Charities, voluntary sector, academics, students,
trainee solicitors, pupils and barristers within 2 years of admission.
Advisers: £72 (£60 + VAT) per delegate including caseworkers, advisers in CAB’s, Age UK, student advisers and lay advocates working in the voluntary sector.
5% off any online payments
50% off third delegate when 3 book from the same organisation at the same time.
Fees include refreshments and lunch.

This conference is presented with the supprt of Garden Court North Chambers, BPP Law School and Irwin Mitchell Solicitors.