Ben Cooper QC - Lawyer of the Week (in the Times)

[Justme56]

Sorry I can't share the article, but liked this:

What is the funniest thing that has happened in your job?

As a result of my work in this area, apparently becoming an object of admiration on Mumsnet [the Internet parents' forum] - improbable in many ways.

😁

Interesting that you say that.

I recommend you watch the excellent documentary "Fleeing Afghanistan: Free To Be Me" about LGBT people who fled Afghanistan for safety and freedom in Britain with the help of Stonewall.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0cngmbj/fleeing-afghanistan-free-to-be-me

Now that the work that a real LGBT charity should be doing 💪

Now that the work that a real LGBT charity should be doing

Yes, it is.

What they should not be doing is this stuff
Stonewall's "campaigning on gender theory is sexist and homophobic" and it is "complicit" in "threats against women (including threats of violence and sexual violence)". "Gender theory as proselytised by [Stonewall] is severely detrimental to women for numerous reasons" and is "severely detrimental to lesbians [...] This is inherently homophobic [....]".

It would be a win for everyone (except extreme transactivists) if they'd get back to doing what they should be doing and stop their rot.

Gosh, for all the lovely gloating visitors- sure, let's see how much people are prepared to accept advice and 'feedback' from this organisation that throws (those who were foolhardy enough to pay them) their clients under the bus, publicly, in court.

So stunning, so brave!

Their lawyers were particularly brilliant in presenting most credible witnesses, too, and were a very strong and decisive voice (in who exactly was the source of derisive remarks).

They were certainly worth their retainer, not like those silly GC people, feted by extreme far-right press, like the Times.

The Stonewall lawyers only publish their very important opinions in the Guardian, that other shining example of women's right upholder!

Isn't that right @Hearach15 ?

The Stonewall lawyers are most amazing in fact @Hearach15 , as they have done clever things like 'learned about different cultural and religious norms, which helped me understand how to make a workplace more inclusive. I also gained the confidence to ask about cultural differences that I did not understand.' amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/05/suella-bravermans-woke-hr-attorney-general-whitehall-diversity-training

But nasty Tories are removing EDI training, making many poor employment lawyers possibly work too hard in the future, it's an outage in the making, and I will stand with you in the barricades to make sure that doesn't happen!

Where do we meet?

*on the barricades, sorry comrade

*outrage, not outage, though both are terrible 😱

dont feed the troll

At it is her most important claim against Garden Courts (loss of income) was thrown out. Had she won that she would have been entitled to substantial compensation whereas she spent 500k to win 22k - and she could well have to pay Stonewall's costs as well.

That generally doesn't happen in employment tribunals.

From your link:

The likelihood of you being ordered to pay costs is very low if your claim is a reasonable one and your behaviour has been reasonable at all times

That generally doesn't happen in employment tribunals.

And presumably extremely unlikely as she won the discrimination case against her employer - she clearly wasn't a vexatious litigant.

Yes, good point. It's just a fantasy scenario of the poster.

I’ve never had to engage the services of a lawyer.

Am guessing that, if I needed to, I’d probably aim for one that knows how to mute a microphone and, more importantly, one who doesn’t produce a bundle that seems randomly thrown together (not my put-down).

BC gave a masterclass in how to draw out information whilst remaining respectful at all times.

At it is her most important claim against Garden Courts (loss of income) was thrown out. Had she won that she would have been entitled to substantial compensation whereas she spent 500k to win 22k - and she could well have to pay Stonewall's costs as well.

Haha! Someone isn't grasping a) what's actually important here and b) that what Allison spent was made up of ten and twenty quids from an overwhelming amount of supporters.

This is a political slam dunk of a win. The entire reason why I and many others supported it. If it was about money, we'd have given it to her, not her barrister 🙄

Seems apt to announce my name change on this thread (pyjamagame)

Er, that's what they do all the time. They just also do things for trans people too. What with them being an LGBT charity....

"Their lawyers were particularly brilliant in presenting most credible witnesses". Quite so, that's why they won the case.

I think we should all take some time to salute the skill of Ijeoma Omambala QC and Robin White - both exceptional lawyers.

Thus far I've been told "We didn't expect her to win against Stonewall", even though her CF headlined with "I'm suing Stonewall". Now you're saying "She wouldn't have expected to be compensated for loss of income."

So what you're saying is she raised 500k so win 22k for hurt feelings and had no chance of winning on the two most important counts?

That is a lot of money to spend for so little return.

"I’ve never had to engage the services of a lawyer."

If I were to engage a lawyer I would want one that would win me the case. For that reason I would not employ Mr Cooper (I'm sure he's won many cases in his time but he lost comprehensively against Stonewall).

I would much rather hire lawyers with a strong track record of recent success and with that in mind I would happily hire Ijeoma Omambala QC and Robin White who represented Stonewall so well.

Stonewall's victory was "pyrrhic" in the same way Biden's win was against Trump was "pyrrhic". Stonewall won, AB lost.

indeed lol - Stonewall's advice was discriminatory, the opinion that Stonewall is in general sexist and homophobic is specifically protected.

A mighty victory indeed /sarcasm

Oh @Hearach15 they really should not be putting dogs and mums through this shit (although dog may've been credible if allowed to provide witness statement, with dogs known for distinguishing men from women with ease, unlike some of their owners).

But we were all VERY impressed, and the judge, and the papers, it has not caused hilarity and bewilderment for weeks that an established charity would pay £40k a year to someone who doesn't know males and females are different.

I really look forward to more Stonewall employees giving evidence in Court, just that was worth my donation, the bundle fiasco was a freebie.

@Hearach15 'I think we should all take some time to salute the skill of Ijeoma Omambala QC and Robin White - both exceptional lawyer'

I refuse to do so unless IO also confirms that she 'learned about different cultural and religious norms, which helped me understand how to make a workplace more inclusive. I also gained the confidence to ask about cultural differences that I did not understand' in a national newspaper, because such unusual activities and learnedness is what distinguishes RMW.

Do you have any proof she did? Or does she remain ignorant of different cultural and religious norms, like the vast majority of ignorant women (not the special new kind, those are superior in all ways)?

I would much rather hire lawyers with a strong track record of recent success and with that in mind I would happily hire Ijeoma Omambala QC and Robin White who represented Stonewall so well.

I am loving this one!

Have you ever had any discussion with Robin White? Oh no. They disappeared from chastening women on MN when their book became out of date within weeks of launch. And they feel abused when you mention the negative reviews they got from a book they spent months telling us would change the world and we should all read it and learn.

Not one MNer was surprised at the inept bundle when we realized who had been involved with putting it together.

Please keep rolling out your pithy comebacks. It still shows you have little knowledge on what you are talking about but they really are very funny on this particular thread.