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22 October 2020
Issue: 7907 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Covid-19
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Women unduly affected by COVID cuts

The majority of women in the legal profession believe they have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, research has found

An early October poll of more than 400 women revealed one in five working less than their previous hours, and one in four earning less than their pre-COVID income, according to Next 100 Years, which works towards equality for women in law.

Nearly one third worked for organisations which had made redundancies as a result of the pandemic―52% suspected some firms were using the pandemic as an excuse for cuts and 55% thought women in law were being disproportionately impacted by cuts and redundancies.

An employment partner who specialises in sex discrimination cases for professional women said she had seen ‘numerous female clients, especially mothers, lose their jobs in the past six months where it’s evident caring responsibilities have been a factor’.

Dana Denis-Smith, founder of Next 100 Years, said the situation had improved since May but women were still feeling the fall-out from that period and remain apprehensive.

Issue: 7907 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Covid-19
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Ling Ong, London Market FOIL

NLJ Career Profile: Ling Ong, London Market FOIL

Ling Ong, partner at Weightmans and president of London Market FOIL, discusses her biggest inspirations, the challenges of AI and the importance of tackling unconscious bias

DWF—Imogen Francis

DWF—Imogen Francis

Director and head of IP team joins in Birmingham

Penningtons Manches Cooper—five promotions

Penningtons Manches Cooper—five promotions

Firm boosts partnership and costs practice with five senior promotions

NEWS

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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