Being the victim of discrimination is an upsetting and stressful experience. Kesar & Co Solicitors have a dedicated team of lawyers who are specialists in issues which arise under the Equality Act 2010. Our lawyers are well placed to advise victims of discrimination in a number of forums.
We are specialists in helping those who have faced discrimination to have their voices heard and seek justice. We regularly conduct challenges against public and private bodies which concern discriminatory conduct.
Discrimination can occur with reference to nine ‘protected characteristics’ which are;
- age.
- disability.
- gender reassignment.
- marriage and civil partnership.
- pregnancy and maternity.
- race.
- religion or belief.
- sex
It is unlawful to discriminate against anyone on the basis of a protected characteristic. Being singled out and treated unfairly because of a protected characteristic does real harm to individuals.
You may not know but, it can also be unlawful to treat someone the same as you would anyone else, when a protected characteristic requires them to be treated differently. Sometimes treating someone fairly means recognising and responding to difference.
The protected characteristics themselves are fluid and can take account of a wide range of personal characteristics. ‘Disability’ for example can include long term health conditions. Whereas ‘belief’ has been interpreted to mean a wide variety of philosophical outlooks, including veganism [Casamitjana v The League Against Cruel Sports [2020] UKET 3331129/2018], atheism and a reverence for the independent media [Maistry v BBC [2014] EWCA Civ 1116].
Equality legislation is a complex patchwork of legislation and case law. It can be daunting to navigate this framework without assistance.
Unfortunately, discrimination can happen to anyone, at work, when engaging with public bodies and when trying to access services. We feel strongly that discrimination should be challenged wherever it is found. Some examples in which our lawyers have supported clients to achieve a successful outcome include;
- Bringing proceedings in the Employment Tribunal for an individual dismissed due to his sexual orientation
- Challenging the lack of a mechanism for people who lacked mental capacity to engage with Parole Hearings
- Supporting a charity to intervene in a claim concerning the rights of transgender prisoners
- Claims on behalf of prisoners who were unlawfully prohibited from complying with religious dietary requirements
- Securing settlements for women who were victims of sexual assaults whilst at work
- Challenging policies and individual instances where discriminatory searching policies in custody targeted individuals of particular faiths
If you think you have been the victim of discrimination, please contact our team of specialists. We will approach your case in a compassionate manner and try to get the best outcome for you. Each case is different and we do our best to be sensitive to the aims of our individual clients.
Funding Your Case
Kesar & Co Solicitors are one of a limited number of firms of solicitors who have been awarded the Discrimination Legal Aid Contract. This means that we are authorised to advise upon a broad spectrum of issues under the Equality Act 2010 and can offer legal aid for such representation.
For those who are ineligible for legal aid, we have a range of competitive pricing options, including Conditional Fee Arrangements.
