The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities issued its ‘concluding observations’ on the UK in August 2017. This followed a review by the Committee on the UK’s compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Committee made a number of recommendations on mental health and capacity law. Against this, the Law Commission in March this year published its recommendations on how the deprivation of liberty safeguards under the Mental Capacity Act should be reformed.

This seminar will examine the implications of these reports, and will be of direct interest to solicitors and advisors working for law firms, Local Authorities and NHS Trusts, as well as students of law, social policy and disability studies, School of Law alumni and friends.

The interactive seminar will be chaired by Oliver Lewis (Barrister, Associate Member of Doughty Street Chambers, and Professor of Law and Social Justice at the University of Leeds) and will include the following speakers and topics:

Aswini Weereratne QC – Using the CRPD in English courts
Ulele Burnham – Equality and discrimination
Dr Bev Clough – Deprivation of liberty safeguards
Professor Anna Lawson – Independent living
Dr Amanda Keeling – Mental Health Act

Refreshments and networking will follow the event.

This event has been organised by Doughty Street Chambers and the Centre for Law and Social Justice at the School of Law, University of Leeds. This is a free event but registration is required in advance.

Location Details

Liberty Building Atrium
University of Leeds
LS3 1DB

How to get to the University

The School of Law is based on the Western Campus next to the Leeds University Business School. There is limited car-parking available on campus on a first come, first serve basis. Parking spaces are available on campus for blue badge holders. Please contact 0113 343 5491 or carparking@leeds.ac.uk for further details.

Law Reform and Practice Implications of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities