JUSTICE Annual Report 2016 – 2017 1 JUSTICE ANNUAL REPORT 2016 – 2017 60 years of strengthening the justice system JUSTICE Annual Report 2016 – 2017 2 JUSTICE Annual Report 2016 – 2017 3 ESTABLISHED IN 1957, JUSTICE IS OUR VISION AND MISSION AN ALL-PARTY LAW REFORM AND We contribute to achieving our vision in three key ways: HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION We are a membership organisation, WORKING TO STRENGTHEN OUR VISION IS OF FAIR, primarily of the legal profession, PROVIDING EVIDENCE-BASED ANALYSIS comprising of judges, barristers, solicitors, 1 AND PROPOSING PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM – ACCESSIBLE AND EFFICIENT legal executives, academics and interested LAWMAKERS, JUDGES AND RELEVANT PUBLIC SERVANTS. non-lawyers. ADMINISTRATIVE, CIVIL AND LEGAL PROCESSES, IN WHICH Through our membership, we have strong connections with political decision-makers STRENGTHENING THE LAW AND LEGAL PROCESSES CRIMINAL – IN THE UK. THE INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHTS and the judiciary, and we work closely BY REFERENCE TO INTERNATIONAL AND with both. 2 COMPARATIVE BEST PRACTICE, LOOKING ACROSS JURISDICTIONS, ACROSS TYPES OF LAW AND ARE PROTECTED, AND WHICH OUR MEMBERS ARE CRITICAL TO ACROSS THE LEGAL PROFESSION. REFLECT THE COUNTRY’S JUSTICE’S SUCCESS. THEY HELP SHAPE OUR PRIORITIES; THEIR USING THE EXPERTISE OF OUR MEMBERSHIP EXPERTISE AND PERSPECTIVE ARE INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION 3 TO STRENGTHEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO OUR CHALLENGES ARISING IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND FOR UPHOLDING AND STAFF; AND THEY INCREASE OUR OF POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS, WORKING WITH MEMBERS INFLUENCE. WE ALSO NEED OUR TO EXECUTE OUR VISION. PROMOTING THE RULE OF LAW. MEMBERS’ SUPPORT TO MAINTAIN A SUSTAINABLE FUNDING BASE FOR OUR WORK. JUSTICE Annual Report 2016 – 2017 4 JUSTICE Annual Report 2016 – 2017 5 FROM THE PRESIDENT FROM THE DIRECTOR Happy birthday JUSTICE! Very few charities reach such a for chairing the Working Party and to all those who served I would also like to begin by wishing everyone a very happy now that we have the right structures, staff and strategies ripe old age and that JUSTICE is turning 60 at full strength on it and shared their experiences to bring the work to life. 60th anniversary. It is remarkable that we still have on the in place to secure JUSTICE’s financial future. I am is cause for extra celebration. As you will see in this report, books so many members who signed up on 1 March 1957. immensely grateful to Karyl Nairn QC, whose leadership of the impact of our work is only increasing. The year has, The craziness of the last year in political life has again Their commitment to JUSTICE over the years is remarkable, the Appeal Committee has been exemplary. My thanks go however, brought some sadness for the JUSTICE family. demonstrated the fragility of the rule of law and the and their contribution continues – Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC also to The JUSTICE60, our special giving group, who have We lost Lord Goodhart QC – a JUSTICE stalwart of many importance of a strong justice system to underpin it. It has (Hon.), a member since 1957, served on the Delivering Justice transformed our ability to deliver the work. decades and former Chair of both the Board and Council been our courts that have provided reassurance and stability in an Age of Austerity Working Party the year before last. – and our dear friend Professor Sir Nigel Rodley KBE, also a during a time of upheaval – without an accessible and fair With a focus on expanding the staff, the Appeal has longstanding Council member and President of our sister justice system, our democracy would be in trouble. JUSTICE While this is a year to celebrate our historic achievements, not allowed us to undertake the significant renovations body, the International Commission of Jurists. remains at the forefront of finding ways to ensure that the our impact on the legal landscape continues. The last required of our building at 59 Carter Lane. We have the courts work more effectively, are fairer and are focused on year has seen many of JUSTICE’s ideas on 21st century designs to transform it into a public-facing justice space for I am particularly delighted that JUSTICE has tackled – the needs of normal folk. I couldn’t be prouder to head the justice – including more proportionate use of judges’ our members and the legal community – as well as more once again – an issue close to my heart: the need for JUSTICE Council and I implore you all to find ways to help time in civil courts, doing more of the courts’ work online space to rent out for income – but we need to find £1.2 greater judicial diversity. In 1972, it was JUSTICE that this important charity in any way you can. and the need for court buildings based around the needs million to do this. raised concerns about the fact that the judiciary was of users – take hold in the plans of government and the lacking diversity in terms of social background, and in a senior judiciary. As in the past, our members’ wealth of JUSTICE really is a team effort. We are lucky to have follow-up report in 1992, we raised concerns about the experience transforms our ability to influence the debate. extraordinary staff, but also to enjoy the support of our dearth of women and minority ethnic people heading to diverse members. To everyone who has renewed their the Bench. In the face of far too little progress over the I am delighted to also have good news on fundraising. membership, written us a cheque, encouraged someone years, JUSTICE’s Increasing Judicial Diversity has powerfully We are approaching the end of our Securing JUSTICE to join JUSTICE, or otherwise demonstrated support for made the case for greater diversity – for reasons of at 60 Appeal and looking on track to have realised our JUSTICE, go my heartfelt thanks. fairness, quality and legitimacy of our courts. The details ambition of raising £2 million over three years. This has BARONESS KENNEDY OF THE SHAWS QC of JUSTICE’s recommendations are set out in this Annual allowed us to more than double our legal team over the PRESIDENT, JUSTICE COUNCIL Report, and I encourage you to visit the website to read last two years (we have just recruited our fifth lawyer!) the full report. It is a challenging and important piece of and to professionalise our development functions. While ANDREA COOMBER work, and my particular thanks go to Nathalie Lieven QC fundraising remains a massive challenge, I am confident DIRECTOR JUSTICE Annual Report 2016 – 2017 6 JUSTICE Annual Report 2016 – 2017 7 JOIN JUSTICE RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS: THE FUTURE OF JUSTICE JUSTICE is the conscience of the legal profession – be a part of it Throughout 2016-17 we have continued to draw on the unrivalled The recommendations in Increasing judicial diversity include: WE ARE INDEPENDENT AS A MEMBERSHIP professional and cross-party expertise of our membership • Introducing targets ‘with teeth’ for selection bodies. These Because it is not party political, JUSTICE commands respect throughout the political ORGANISATION, OUR MEMBERS when selecting the members of our working parties. They make include obligations to comply and/or explain why targets were spectrum. We have representatives from each of the main political parties on our recommendations for modernising the justice system and making it not met, reporting on progress to the Justice Select Committee. ARE AMONG OUR GREATEST governing body. fairer for the UK’s most vulnerable and marginalised people. • Creating a permanent ‘Senior Selections Committee’ dedicated WE ARE EXPERT Over the past year we have followed up on recommendations from to appointments to the Court of Appeal, Heads of Divisions and ASSETS. HERE ARE JUST FIVE OF recent working party reports: Delivering Justice in an Age of Austerity, UK Supreme Court. JUSTICE draws on international research and case law, and the specialist input of experts Complex and Lengthy Trials and What is a Court? • Increasing accountability for diversity, through a general THE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD to provide the template for public policy. responsibility on selectors and the judiciary to encourage a much JOIN JUSTICE. WE ARE INFLUENTIAL We are delighted to see the ideas in our previous reports continue to more diverse field of people to apply for senior judicial office. JUSTICE has a membership of prominent judges, lawyers, distinguished academics, feed into the programme of court modernisation; with many of our • Introducing ‘appointable pools’ of suitable judges for each court. leading firms and chambers, and many individuals and organisations concerned about recommendations – including on court design – taking hold. • Creating an upward judicial career path, where junior lawyers law reform. can take up an ‘entry-level’ position in the tribunal system or on ‘JUSTICE IS POSING THE RIGHT DIVERSITY IN THE SENIOR JUDICIARY the District Bench and stand a meaningful chance of promotion. WE ARE EFFECTIVE • Introducing a ‘Talent Management Programme’ to enable QUESTIONS AND PRODUCING This year, we took up the challenge of reimagining the appointment Through influential reports and informed dialogue, we continue to play a key role in talented judges to progress their career. MANY OF THE ANSWERS THAT and promotion of judges, with a view to a more diverse judiciary. WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, SOONER amending and developing the law, government policy and the practice of public authorities. • Ensuring more attractive, inclusive career paths and working OR LATER, INTO OUR LEGAL conditions, including making flexible working the default. WE ARE INTERNATIONAL Our working party on judicial diversity, chaired by Nathalie Lieven SYSTEM.’ QC, considered appointments to the Circuit Bench, High Court and JUSTICE is the UK section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) – a global Nathalie Lieven QC worked alongside Diane Burleigh OBE, Kate Court of Appeal in England & Wales, and to the UK Supreme Court.