We hear in the news about people fleeing their homes to become asylum seekers or refugees, why is this? Alma and Lucinda talk to Lance Bartholomeusz from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to find out: · The difference between refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants · Why so many people around the world are forced to leave their homes · What protections and rights refugees have under international law · ...
Did you know you could train as a solicitor straight from school? There are two different routes to becoming a solicitor –as a graduate and as an apprentice. In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda speak to Annabel Twose, a second-year trainee, and Matt Dady, a first-year solicitor apprentice at Fieldfisher's London office, a European law firm with 25 offices in 13 countries. Together they explore: · Why they wanted to train as a solicitor · The dif...
Research shows that smacking a child can be physically and emotionally damaging and it’s not an effective way to discipline them. In some parts of the UK, such as Scotland and Wales, smacking a child is against the law, even if you’re just visiting. But in England and Northern Ireland, the law is different - parents can still claim a defence of ‘reasonable punishment’. In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda speak to Amy Packham, a criminal barrister, Deputy Head of Lamb Building chambers...
WARNING: Adults might want to listen to this episode before listening with young children, as we mention the words self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders in the context of examples of harmful online content. What are the legal implications for young people becoming influencers online? What happens if brands offer them sponsorship deals? These activities raise commercial, consent and ownership legal issues. Alma-Constance and Lucinda speak to Steve Kuncewicz, Partner at Glaisyers Solicitors....
There are laws which are supposed to protect our environment, but they haven’t stopped pollution and the destruction of the natural world. So, some rivers and forests gave been granted enforceable legal rights to stop this habitat destruction. Alma-Constance and Lucinda discussed this with one of the co-founders of the Lawyers for Nature organisation: Paul Powlesland a barrister at Garden Court Chambers; and he told us: · Why Lawyers for Nature was founded · &...
That's right... the age of criminal responsibility for children in England & Wales is only 10 years old! This is the lowest age in Europe and one of the lowest worldwide. Alma- Constance and Lucinda talk to Kirsty Brimelow KC, an expert in international human rights, public and criminal law and recently elected Vice Chair of the Bar Council for 2025. She explained: How the law of criminal responsibility has come aboutThe sorts of crimes that children are charged withThe impact on the live...
In this episode, Alma-Constance and Lucinda look back at Series 4 where they've been talking to people working in the legal system who explain how laws affect us in everyday life, particularly for children and young people. The 12 episodes cover: the new Online Safety Act,alternative ways to resolve disputes, and why the Old Bailey is so famous, how the law affects children when someone dies and if the king has to obey the law,the role of ethics in law, how human rights can be used to pr...
After a major tragedy, public inquiries look at what happened, why it happened, and who is to blame, and what could be done to prevent this happening again. One of the most notorious is the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry, where many innocent people were falsely accused of crimes. Alma and Lucinda spoke to Flora Page, a barrister at 23 Essex Street Chambers, she recently represented the sub postmasters in the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry. She told us: · &...
The Old Bailey is the nickname for the court that hears the most serious criminal cases in England and Wales. Alma and Lucinda spoke to Her Honour, Judge Anuja Dhir KC, the first non-white judge to be appointed. She tells us: about her role as a judge and what it's like to work in such a historic court how children and young people are involved in the criminal justice systemthe special procedures that are used to take their evidence and support themwhat it was like changing f...
WARNING: This episode mentions death and dying in the context of the legal implications of death. We know that law affects us during our lives but what happens when we die to all our things social media accounts even our pets? And how are children affected? Alma and Lucinda talk to Melinda Giles, the Head of the Private Client and Court of Protection department at Giles Wilson Law Ltd about the law and procedures when we die. She tells us · What is the ...
Adults might want to listen to this episode before listening with young children, as we mention the words self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders in the context of examples of harmful online content. The new Act aims to protect young people from harmful content online and puts new obligations on online platforms to make them more responsible for their users safety. Alma - Constance and Lucinda speak to Jess Smith, Ofcom's online safety director, who explains: · How ...
At the Future Lawyer UK Conference, co-host Alma-Constance interviews Richard Susskind on Law, Tech and How It Affects Kids As They Grow Up. In this special interview, questions such as how AI will affect how laws are drafted will be explored! Professor Richard Susskind OBE KC (Hon) is half-lawyer, half-technologist. He has written 10 books and his work has been translated into 18 languages. His eleventh book, How to Think About AI: A Guide to the Perplexed, is to be published in the comin...
If you write a song, create music or a fantastic invention, what can you do if someone copies your hard work? Alma- Constance and Lucinda speak to His Honour Judge Richard Hacon, Presiding Judge of the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, known as IPEC. He tells us · That creative works, inventions and designs can be legal protected by intellectual property rights · There are different types of rights such as trademarks, design rights, patents, and c...
Going to court can be lengthy, expensive and leave people feeling dissatisfied with the outcome. Alma- Constance and Lucinda speak to Frederick Way who is a Senior Dispute Resolution Consultant, Mediator and Trainer the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR). He tells us · the alternative ways to resolve disputes · How mediation works · How people can be encouraged to work together to solve problems · ...
What does ethics mean and why is it so important in the legal system and can it ensure that lawyers can be trusted? Alma- Constance and Lucinda speak to Richard Moorhead, Professor of Law and Professional Ethics at the University of Exeter Law School and Honorary Professor of Law at UCL. He is also a member of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board in relation to the Post Office Horizon scandal. He tells us · What ethics means · ...
Did you know that you don’t have to go to university to become a lawyer? Some 17,000 people have been trained to become chartered legal executives (CILEX lawyers) who are fully qualified legal professionals. Alma-Constance and Lucinda spoke to Emma Davies the CILEX President who tells us about: The different schemes to train as a paralegal, legal executive or apprentice for those who want to specialise in a particular area of law.The flexible studying opportunities whi...
Getting legal advice can be very expensive and many people can't afford it. Law centres are based in local communities to give free legal advice and assistance with social welfare problems such as homelessness, advice about welfare benefits and employment and immigration issues. Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to Franck Kiangala, Director and Immigration Solicitor at North Kensington Law Centre. He tells us: · why and how law centres were created · ...
The UK signed the European Convention on Human Rights, which covers both human rights and civil liberties, and it is part of our law. But how are they different? Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to Shami Chakrabarti CBE, PC who sits in the House of Lords and is a human rights activist. She tells us: · how civil liberties and human rights work to protect us all · how the rule of law relates to civil liberties and human rights ·&nbs...
In May 2023, King Charles III was crowned as the new monarch for the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. Part of his role, every year, the monarch is invited to open the new parliamentary session - and, this November, King Charles III is opening Parliament for the first time as King. Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to Sir John Baker, an English legal historian who was the Downing professor of the laws of England at the University of Cambridge and he told us about the King’s role ...
Human rights are for everyone, but some groups do not get access to them equally. Why is this and what can be done? Alma-Constance and Lucinda talk to Sultana Tafadar KC and her 11 year old daughter Safiyah, who tell us about their work and why they set up the Girls Human Rights Hub and: · why Sultana chose to work as a human rights lawyer. · how human rights protect children in criminal cases. · why girls need special protecti...