To celebrate Pro Bono Week, we have spoken with members about their current and ongoing Pro Bono matters:
James Goudie KC, Oliver Mills and Aliya Al-Yassin acted pro bono for the Appellant in Melki v Bouygues E&S Contracting UK Ltd [2024] EAT 36 (link). This was the first case to consider the application of new EAT rule 37(5), which introduces a power for the EAT to extend time where an appellant has made a minor error in submitting the documents required to institute their appeal. The Appellant has been granted permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal. James Goudie KC and Oliver Mills, alongside George Spence-Jones from Gough Square Chambers, are acting pro bono for the Appellant in the Court of Appeal.
James Goudie KC also acted pro bono in Dr Christopher Garrard vs Information Commissioner and The British Museum (see Panopticon blog here), which was an appeal concerned Dr Garrard’s request to the British Museum in 2022 for information relating to sponsorship negotiations between the British Museum and BP. Dr Garrard challenged the British Museum’s reliance on the commercial interests exemption under section 43(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. James has also advised a number of individuals whose pensions are administered by the Mineworkers Pension Scheme.
Peter Lockley has acted pro bono for The Watchdog, a new initiative by investigative journalists seeking to use the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 to access material for public interest stories on environmental issues. As well as advising the group on strategy, Peter appeared for the requester in Amin v Information Commissioner & Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government (FT/EA/2024/0078), a case about civil servants’ advice to Ministers prior to approval of the controversial Whitehaven coal mine. Peter also acts pro bono, or on a low fee basis, for a wide range of environmental groups campaigning on issues such as climate change, air pollution and water pollution.
Oliver Jackson is acting for Chris Garrard, an investigative journalist, who is seeking information about meetings between the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Gautam Adani, one of the wealthiest industrialists in the world, which happened shortly before the Adani Group announced its sponsorship of the Science Museum’s Adani Green Energy Gallery.
Jonathan Auburn KC has this year advised Hornsey Cricket Club on their substantive response to a Pre-Action letter regarding a breach of contract.
Simon Forshaw KC represented an individual via the ELAAS Scheme in the Employment Appeal Tribunal, and then at an Employment Tribunal hearing in a claim for disability discrimination.
Patrick Halliday and Tom Ogg have represented various Appellants at rule 3(10) hearings in the EAT via the ELAAS scheme. Patrick is acting pro bono, via Advocate, for the Appellants in two upcoming full hearings in the EAT.
Finally, Rita Dias has been assisting with a claim for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination.
