*/
The judge taking a whistleblowing test case on judicial employment rights to the Supreme Court has called for support from the Bar.
Claire Gilham, a district judge who worked at Warrington County Court, has launched a crowdfunding campaign on the website CrowdJustice to help finance her case and overturn an employment tribunal ruling that judges cannot be classed as workers and are therefore not entitled to the whistleblower protections when making disclosures in the public interest.
Gilham raised concerns about overwork, death threats, and the increased violence in courts due to the under-funded justice system. She believes her complaints should be covered by whistleblowing protections, but instead said they resulted in her being bullied, overworked and put under additional stress.
Last year, the Court of Appeal ruled against her, but the Supreme Court granted permission to appeal and the case will be heard later this year.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal brought by the government against an employment tribunal ruling that pension reforms discriminated against younger judges.
Government lawyers had argued that any age discrimination as a result of the changes was ‘justified’. But the Court of Appeal upheld the earlier tribunal ruling, in favour of the age discrimination claim brought by 226 members of the judiciary, including six High Court judges, that the changes meant they were treated ‘less favourably’ because of their age.
The judge taking a whistleblowing test case on judicial employment rights to the Supreme Court has called for support from the Bar.
Claire Gilham, a district judge who worked at Warrington County Court, has launched a crowdfunding campaign on the website CrowdJustice to help finance her case and overturn an employment tribunal ruling that judges cannot be classed as workers and are therefore not entitled to the whistleblower protections when making disclosures in the public interest.
Gilham raised concerns about overwork, death threats, and the increased violence in courts due to the under-funded justice system. She believes her complaints should be covered by whistleblowing protections, but instead said they resulted in her being bullied, overworked and put under additional stress.
Last year, the Court of Appeal ruled against her, but the Supreme Court granted permission to appeal and the case will be heard later this year.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal brought by the government against an employment tribunal ruling that pension reforms discriminated against younger judges.
Government lawyers had argued that any age discrimination as a result of the changes was ‘justified’. But the Court of Appeal upheld the earlier tribunal ruling, in favour of the age discrimination claim brought by 226 members of the judiciary, including six High Court judges, that the changes meant they were treated ‘less favourably’ because of their age.
Chair of the Bar sets out a busy calendar for the rest of the year
Why Virtual Assistants Can Meet the Legal Profession’s Exacting Standards
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Examined by Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
Time is precious for barristers. Every moment spent chasing paperwork, organising diaries, or managing admin is time taken away from what matters most: preparation, advocacy and your clients. That’s where Eden Assistants step in
AlphaBiolabs has announced its latest Giving Back donation to RAY Ceredigion, a grassroots West Wales charity that provides play, learning and community opportunities for families across Ceredigion County
Despite increased awareness, why are AI hallucinations continuing to infiltrate court cases at an alarming rate? Matthew Lee investigates
The proscribing of Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act is an assault on the English language and on civil liberties, argues Paul Harris SC, founder of the Bar Human Rights Committee
Come in with your eyes open, but don’t let fear cloud the prospect. A view from practice by John Dove
Anon Academic explains why he’s leaving the world of English literature for the Bar – after all, the two are not as far apart as they may first seem...
Review by Stephen Cragg KC