Tag: expert legal advice

Take action on sexual harassment with direct access barristers

Sexual harassment in Hollywood has recently hit the headlines, but statistics released by Opinium Research show that one in five women in the UK also have been sexually harassed in the workplace.

Unfortunately, this demonstrates that workplace sexual harassment is still a problem and not just in Hollywood. In fact, it’s not unlikely that you or someone you know has been affected, despite there being laws in place to protect workers like you.

Sexual harassment includes any type of unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature. This can be verbal, such as remarks about your body or appearance, non-verbal, for example staring at your body or sending texts of a sexual or physical nature, including physical contact of any kind.

If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, your first steps will usually be to speak to HR or complain to your employer to try and resolve the issue. If necessary, you can even take action through an industrial tribunal. However, if the tribunal is unsuccessful you may still want to seek specialist legal advice.

Did you know that you can contact a barrister directly for expert legal advice or representation for your case? Public access barristers are experts in the law and how it works and can advise you on your legal position, draft legal documents and even use their skills to represent you in a court tribunal or hearing.

Instructing a barrister directly can save you hundreds to thousands of pounds, whilst also ensuring you receive high-quality and experienced legal support. Barristers4U has access to 1000+ accredited barristers throughout England and Wales offering expert legal advice and representation.

Our video-conferencing facilities (such as Skype) mean you can speak to your barrister confidentially, no matter where you live. Obtaining a quote is free with no obligation, so you can compare quotes and choose the right expert for you. You only pay if you decide you’d like to instruct the barrister directly.

Sexual harassment in the workplace is never acceptable so if you have been affected by this behaviour, contact Barristers4U today for information and advice.

Photo: Nails by Alexandra E Rust licensed under Creative commons 2

Contesting a will with direct access barristers

Although making a will is fairly straightforward, a significant number of people fail to do so. When someone dies without having made a will, they are said to have died intestate and the law determines how their estate is disposed of. By having a will, people can ensure that their estate is transferred to the relevant beneficiaries and they are free to dispose of their goods, property and possessions as they see fit.

In some cases, however, it may be possible for someone to contest a will and argue that they should receive some or all of the estate.

As a will is a legal document, you’ll need to legal assistance if you want to make a successful challenge. Although the law is keen to uphold the deceased’s wishes, there are some instances in which a direct access barrister will be able to help you to challenge a will.

Accessing inheritance if you’ve been left out of a will

Often, when someone gets older, their mental faculties can be affected and they may act in unusual ways. If someone makes numerous changes to their will in the months preceding their death, for example, and leaves close family members out of the document, it may be possible for them to challenge the document.

Similarly, if the deceased was receiving medical treatment which may have affected the way they drafted the will, it could be possible for a legal challenge to be made. In some cases, a will may have been made decades ago and not modified to reflect a change in family circumstances. Due to this, family members may want to take action in order to ensure an equal split of the estate.

Contact a direct access barrister

If you need help to contest a will, a public access barrister may be able to assist you. As well as providing expert legal advice and assistance, using a direct access barrister can significantly reduce the cost of taking legal action.

Furthermore, contacting a direct access barrister couldn’t be easier. Available via secure video conferencing facilities, you can liaise with your barrister from wherever you are and cut out the need for additional legal personnel.

To find out more, why not contact a public access barrister today?

Find an expert barrister for your sexual harassment claim

Sexual harassment in the workplace is unacceptable – period. Unfortunately, it still happens despite laws to protect workers.

What is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment constitutes any form of behaviour of a sexual nature that is unwelcome. The majority of complainants are women, although men can also be the victims of sexual harassment.

It’s important to remember that harassment is not about having a laugh or a ‘bit of fun’, it’s about control and power. Sexual harassment can manifest itself in many different forms but can be broadly placed into three groups:

Verbal

If a colleague makes remarks about your appearance, your body or your clothes, that is deemed to be sexual harassment, as are indecent remarks, questions or comments about your sex life or requests for sexual favours, and wolf-whistling.

Threats or promises concerning the loss of your job or changes to your employment conditions in return for sexual favours are deemed to be sexual harassment.

Non-verbal

• Looking or staring at your body
• Displaying images of a sexually explicit nature i.e. pin-ups or calendars
• Sending texts of a sexual nature
• Sending emails of a sexual nature or containing explicit images

Physical

• Physical contact of any kind
• Sexual assault
• Rape

What can you do if you are a victim of sexual harassment?

If the sexual harassment continues after you have confronted the perpetrator and complained to your employer, you may seek redress through an industrial tribunal. In the event that your tribunal is unsuccessful, you should seek the advice and intervention of a solicitor or specialist employment lawyer.

However, you can also go to barristers direct for expert legal advice or representation in your case for sexual harassment, potentially saving you thousands of pounds. At Barristers4u we have over a thousand accredited barristers throughout England and Wales, so you can be sure that you will find a specialist in sexual harassment cases to represent you. For your convenience, we can set up video conferencing facilities, so that you can have confidential discussions with your barrister, wherever you are located in the UK.

If you think you are a victim of sexual harassment at work, don’t suffer in silence. You can obtain a free quote from a barrister with no obligation, so why not contact us today for more information and advice.

Photo: Stop! by thematthewknot licensed under Creative commons 2