More than 100 delegates attended the annual conference of The Intermediary Cooperative. The event was held in person at the University of Liverpool School of Law & Social Justice and online.
The day included thought-provoking and inspiring talks from a range of speakers, all presenting under the conference theme of “Collaboration: A cooperative approach to achieving fairer justice”.
Speakers included Rachel Ineson, a lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the University of Sunderland, Nicole Ralston, a Senior Associate Solicitor specialising in Family Law with law firm MSB Solicitors, Professor Keith Rix, an Honorary Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Caron Heyes, a Director at law firm Fieldfisher LLP and a specialist in medical negligence, Irina Sanders, Founder & Chair of the Association of Interpreters and Translators (AIT) in the UK, and Professor Helen Stalford from the University of Liverpool School of Law & Social Justice.
There were also contributions throughout the day from TIC Chair Paula Backen and fellow TIC founder Nicola Lewis.
Professor Shadd Maruna, Head of Department – Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology, School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool, helped Paula to open the event.
The conference focused on collaboration among legal professionals, intermediaries, interpreters and others, discussing the importance of communication, the challenges faced in court settings, and the need for a trauma-informed approach to justice.
Speakers shared insights on their experiences and perspectives, emphasising the necessity of understanding vulnerabilities in clients and the role of intermediaries in facilitating effective communication.
The session concluded with discussions on how to improve practices and foster better relationships among different stakeholders in the justice system, providing plenty of food for thought for ongoing dialogue and future events, with the shared goal of enabling vulnerable people to achieve fair access to justice.
Paula Backen, Chair of The Intermediary Cooperative, said:
“Thank you to everyone who helped to make the conference such a success and to build on our first ever conference in 2024. We’re looking forward to following up with everyone involved to develop further ways to continue championing the vital importance of ensuring fair access to justice for vulnerable people.”
https://theintermediarycooperative.co.uk/conference/
This article was submitted to be published by The Intermediary Cooperative as part of their advertising agreement with Today’s Family Lawyer. The views expressed in this article are those of the submitter and not those of Today’s Family Lawyer
