Equality & anti-discrimination law

We help charities, public bodies, membership bodies, employers and other organisations to comply with their obligations under the Equality Act. We review and draft equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policies and procedures. We advise on inclusion of minorities, particularly where there are competing interests, including advice on lawful positive action.

Our Employment and Dispute Resolution teams also help with bringing or defending Equality Act complaints and claims by beneficiaries, service users, employees, members and volunteers.

Relevant work

• A large national charity wished to improve the diversity of its trustee board by selecting candidates based on race, gender and other protected characteristics. We advised on the lawful application of positive action measures under the Equality Act 2010.
• We advised CGD Europe on the high profile claim by Maya Forstater in the Employment Tribunal concerning transgender rights and the right to express views on sex and gender identity.

• We advised a single sex young people’s charity on challenges to their transgender inclusion policy.
• We advised a national youth charity on reasonable adjustments for children with learning difficulties.
• We advised a national membership charity on responding to allegations of racial discrimination.
• We advised a college associated with a charity on various allegations made by and against senior post holders, including allegations of race discrimination and bullying.
• We advised a university on using exemptions in equality law so they can offer a grant only to people who are disadvantaged.
• We advised a membership charity on managing its relationship with volunteers who publicly challenged its equality and diversity policy.
• We advised a fundraising team about accepting donations which are restricted towards benefiting people with particular protected characteristics.