MINORITY LAWYERS CONFERENCE 1999

On 20th March 1999, the second Minority Lawyers Conference was held at the Law Society in London. The event was organised for (ethnic) minority lawyers by the Law Society, Bar Council, and Lord Chancellors Department in collaboration with other minority groups such as AML, ACA, SBL, and SAL. The aim of the conference was to help minority lawyers deal with mainstream issues. A wide range or practitioners, politicians and students attended the Conference from all over the world.

The day kicked off with a keynote speech by the Lord Chancellor, other guests included the Attorney General of India, and lawyers from South Africa and North America.

AML managed to secure an afternoon session dedicated solely to civil liberties and religious discrimination. Geoffrey Bindman chaired and speakers included Ahmed Thomson of AML, Claude Moreas of the CRE, and John Wadham of Liberty. About 50 people attended the session and the conclusion was clear: religious discrimination is prevalent and direct legislation is required to help make it a thing of the past. The ECHR may not cover such discrimination adequately and, surprisingly, even the Human Rights Act 1998 will not sufficiently secure the rights of religious minorities.

AML has been working closely with the other organisations and groups to help promote greater understanding between AML and the different groups and minority lawyers within the legal profession. For example, a Minority Lawyers Alliance has been launched and one of AML's particular contribution has been to argue for the exclusion of the word "ethnic" of the title as it restricts people and groups that transcend ethnic categorisations, like AML.

The Minority Lawyers conference takes place every 18 months. The next conference is due sometime next year. Anyone interested in attending or helping organising, please contact AML.