The event will be looking at #COVIDCourts, specifically concerned with the poor state of hygiene and safety in the court estate as we reach the end of Stay At Home and an expected increase in in-person hearings. We will discuss the situation as it currently is in the courts, and what could and should be done to ensure the safety and wellbeing of court users.
Speakers:
– Alex Cunningham MP, Shadow Minister for Courts and Sentencing
– Kerry Hudson, solicitor and director of Bullivant Law and immediate past president of the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association (LCCSA).
– Raj Chada, solicitor and partner at Hodge Jones & Allen, one of the largest criminal litigation departments in the country.
– Tomas McGarvey, counsel at Church Court Chambers. Tomas has been highly vocal in his experiences as junior counsel in COVID Courts. It was his Freedom of Information request which revealed that Public Health England had carried out onsite inspections of the cell areas at only two out of 79 Crown courts hearing jury trials between May 2020 and February 2021.
– Alex Chapman (chair), solicitor and Secretary of Junior Labour Lawyers.