THE STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS
The Slavery Abolition Act 1833:
This act had called for the abolition of slavery through most parts of the British Empire. However, it was still legally okay for formerly enslaved people to continue working on the plantations despite no difference being made to their lives. However, the Abolition Act had provided a compensation scheme to the planation owners for the 'inconvenience' (ironic). The cost of this resulted in the British government paying out £20 million to the owners.
Emancipation 1838:
An Act that meant freedom for enslaved people was introduced. However, the British attitudes towards those of colour would still reflect ideas of imperialism and colonalism. The British colonial rule had extended across five continents with the notion that they had ruled other parts of the world.
Post War Race Relations:
Racial prejudice was normalised across the British Empire. The British government had turned to its colonies to get support in the wars and rebuild Britain. Despite the efforts and contributions they were not respected - suffering from discrimination and segregation. After the war many had moved to the port cities of Liverpool and Bristol working as seamen. But riots had out broke due to the disgust of having so many black individuals in such white populated areas. The race riots had given a rise to government backed restricted on people of colour. The Special Restrictions Coloured Alien Seamen Order of 1925 gave the police the power to arrest British Black and Ethnic Minority sailors who failed to provide proof of nationality.
The British Nationality Act 1948:
It provided all Commonwealth citizens with entry into Britain with full citizen rights. A huge recruitment drive was in place to fill the significant gaps of the British work force. THE WINDRUSH GENERATION. Migrants fro the Caribbean, Africa and Asia had made their way over to Britain for work. The NHS was the top employer for African and Caribbean women.
1965 - 1976 Race Relations Acts
The act was introduced as a result of the high levels of discrimination that Black citizens suffered. It had banned racial discrimination in public places and made incitement of racial hatred illegal. The 1976 Act had extended to the definition of discrimination to include indirect discrimination. Formation of the Commission for Racial Equality, purpose was to address racial discrimination and promote racial equality. It has been replaced by the 2007 Equality and Human Rights Commission.
In 2000 the murder of Stephen Lawrence and police handling of the investigation had resulted in the 1999 Macpherson Report concluding that the Metropolitan Police Force was institutionally racist. It placed a duty on public authorities to actively promote racial equality.
The Equality Act 2010
It brought all existing equalities legislation together, outlawing discrimination and harassment on nine protected characteristics. Those being race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, disability, age, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership. There has still been a numerous instance of injustice where black citizens rights are neglected and not appreciating the efforts that have been made. There is still a long way for racial equality to be achieved.
INSPIRATIONS IN THE LEGAL FIELD
Stephen Akinsanya: For 29 years Stephen has been a practicing criminal barrister in private practice. He has led a series of high profile criminal cases from the Central Criminal Court to the Supreme Court. He was also apart of the Turks and Caicos Island Bar where he was a lead counsel in cases of murder, coroners inquest and defence work. He currently focuses on spreading awareness and knowledge to the spike in knife crime. The creation of videos on social media keeps the message short yet impactful.
Nneka Akudolu KC: Nneka is a current barrister working at 2 Hare Court in London chambers. Appointed Kings Counsel in 2022 with a practice area in Criminal Law. As the sixth black female KC in the UK she inspires aspiring barristers to achieve their goals. She was elected asa Master of the Bench at The Honourable Society of Middle Temple, commencing the role in 2023. Her advocacy is profound in challenging expert evidence in respect of gang associations and drill lyrics.
Earl Pinnock: Earl is a current barrister working at No.5 Chambers in Birmingham chambers and London chambers. His Inn of Court is the Middle Temple. His specialism is focused on defence work in respect of serious criminal allegations. "He appears in high profile cases alone led and leading". His profound work can be found through the maintenance of building relations with lawyers within the Caribbean.
Alexandra Wilson: Alexandra is an experienced barrister at 4PB and now currently training at the New York Bar. She specialises in practice areas such as inquests, international children law and private/public law. She was awarded the Queens Scholarship by Middle Temple, Masters Scholarship at the University College Oxford, and more recently Rothermere American Institute Award. Her barrister expertise rests in family law, but she has experienced practice level in criminal.
Mark Robinson: Mark is a barrister at Garden Court Chambers and has been a solicitor with higher rights of audience since 2020. His criminal specialism can be found through being a gangs practitioner and accepting instructions for serious youth violence and drug related offences. Prior to the Bar he was a presenter on BBC Radio 1Xtra and professional DJ. He also runs 'Lawyers at Large' project seeing state school educated barristers invited into secondary schools and sharing a non-traditional journey to the Bar.
Kishma Bolaji: An admirable journey that i have personally heard before. She begun her career as a legal secretary moving to become a paralegal then commencing into a training contract to qualify in clinical negligence. She is known for being a co-founder and co-chair of Birmingham Black Laywers (BBL). The purpose of it is to commit to the promotion of diversity and equality within the profession.
Tom Lawal: Tom is an experienced private children and housing law barrister. He has profound knowledge in housing law, established advocacy skillset and known to receive instructions nationwide. He can be instructed for multi-day trials involving legal and factual arguments. In relation to private law children his practice is upon highly contentious, complex and sensitive cases representing all types of family members. Some of the matters he deals with include international relocation, significant expert evidence and forced-marriage protection orders. He has received many prices and awards across the years for his work. Some of these include Birmingham Black Lawyers 2023 and Birmingham Law Society Legal Awards 2011 (pupil barrister of the year).
Abisola Latunji-Cockbill: Abisola is a principal associate at the Birmingham office of Mills and Reeve. She is an employment lawyer specialising in the education sector, and advising upon contentious and non-contentious employment issues. Her work focus is in Employment Tribunal litigation.
Leslie Thomas KC: His expertise rests in claims against the police and other public authorities. He has a broadened expertise of working in civil wrongs, litigation, human rights, and data and privacy claims. He also regularly acts for clients in the Caribbean region on constitutional law challenges. He has previously worked as a lecturer at the University of Westminister, Kingston University London and the Open University. He is also competent in speaking Russian and French.
Queenie Djan: Queenie specialises in criminal and civil law at St Ives Chambers. She received the Inner Temples Exhibition Scholarship and BPP Career Commitment Scholarship. Her focus of work in criminal is related to conspiracy cases - high value dishonesty, drug importation and firearm offences. Whereas, in relation to the civil side of her work, the focus is upon housing matters. Some of these matters include disrepair, possession claims and injunctions.
Kevin Metzger: His specialist area is criminal law - Human Rights Law, Civil Liberties, Private International Law and Serious Crimes. He is a member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, and approved as a pupil supervisor with the Inn of Court. He was part of a team that carried out fact-finding in Lebanon in September 2006 after concerns of the use of 'cluster bombs' in armed conflict. He is a registered expert at the United Nations for Human Rights. He has contributed to seminars and conferences on youth crime, and the effect of the Human Rights Convention on the Criminal Justice System. He was also called to the Bar in Sierra Leone and currently maintains association with lawyers there.
Until the next Legal Thought,
Elicia Maxwell
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