How to fund judicial review

[placemat3000]

This is going to be a bit vague for now, because the final decision hasn't been made by the council concerned, but I am trying to get all my ducks in a row as I think I know which way this is going to go.

It's a decision which relates to sex discrimination and the Equality Act, and so my understanding is that the only way to challenge this is by judicial review.
My understanding is also that this is expensive (and one reason the council is sailing ahead is that they know this and think I can't afford to challenge them).

Can anyone help with what the options are? I might be able to take them to the Local Government Ombudsman, but that might spin it out beyond the 3 month limit on JRs. I have a long list of questions (like are there people who do this pro bono, how do I set up a crowd justice, how does JKR decide who to fund and how on earth does she find out about cases) but if anyone has any initial thoughts, I'd be very grateful.

And obviously if it does turn into a case I will give you all the details (and this is a burner name just in case I have to break cover).

https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/17134/pdf/

worth reading. Safe Schools Alliance threatened judicial review against Oxfordshire County Council as they felt their “trans toolkit” was unlawful in its failure to recognise the rights of other children. OCC withdrew the guidance before the hearing went ahead.

I would make contact with Sex Matters, depending on the subject, or if it relates to children Safe Schools Alliance or Transgender Trend.

I’d echo the above - they can put you in touch with a lawyer who can at least say yay or nay to whether or not JR is possible before you fund it. And one who is willing to take it on.

Just checking, you aren't employed by the council and this isn't a decision related to your employment?

Thanks everyone, much to think about here. I will do as you suggest, but no @MadameBethune it's not about employment and unfortunately won't fit the rules of the JKR fund as I read them.

https://jkrwf.org/ is one option for funding

If you may need to go the crowdfunding route it would be worth looking at this: The key to good crowd-funding is information, and transparency. We want to suggest some rules of thumb, if you haven't already seen it.

Another echo from me.

And the solicitors that they know will also have a route to access some funding if it looks like a case that might warrant this i.e. if it looks like it could be strong enough for them to approach someone who they know who invests funds for things like this.

For example, there might be access to funding to help validate whether the case meets the threshold for JR. Sometimes solicitors will need to speak to barristers for their view, which obviously bumps up costs that such finding could help with.

Obviously that kind of funding isn't guaranteed but if your case looks good it might be available.

Then after that you might need to crowdfund for more to then build and fight the case.

It might be worth giving JKR a shot anyway. She tweeted to someone the other day who felt that they wouldn't meet the criteria and said to apply. 🥰

The worst that could happen in that you get a 'no'. Good luck!

If it’s a strong case I agree JKR might be open to it.

It’s for the L Community isn’t it?
The “Fundraising” that Shall Not Be Named

Thanks everyone.

Now that I have the decision, it's actually just bog standard sex discrimination I think, although in part arising as a result of a bit of gender non-binaries causing woolly thinking. I'm going to get some legal advice first, probably via the EHRC helpline and then take it from there.

Edited to add: I do think it has the potential to be a test case, but have to weigh this up against my own sanity.

Actually, one more question. If people have the names of solicitors who will take on an equality case on a no-win, no-fee basis, that would be really helpful

from what I understand solicitors would gauge the validity of case first.