SL5 Legal and No5 Barristers' Chambers are delighted to announce the launch of a joint seminar series on prison law focusing on proceedings before the Parole Board.
The series is intended for both new and more experienced prison law practitioners. It will provide attendees with an invaluable opportunity to be trained by leading practitioners in the field.
The series is geared towards securing excellent results for clients and will provide a detailed update on the latest legal issues. Attendees will benefit from practical advice from trainers who have substantial experience in prison law. It will also provide a confidential forum for prison lawyers to raise issues regarding practice and to discuss them with leading practitioners.
Seminar One: Preparing your client’s case before the Parole Board
25 April 2024 | 2pm - 5pm
Normal fee: £35 + VAT, Early bird discount: £25+VAT
Seminar Two: Advocacy before the Parole Board
22 May 2024 | 2pm - 5:30pm
Normal fee: £35 + VAT, Early bird discount: £25+VAT
Seminar Three: Challenging Parole Board decisions
18 June 2024 | 11am - 5pm
Normal fee: £50 + VAT, Early bird discount: £40+VAT
All seminars are in person and will be hosted at No5's London office at Savoy Court.
Please note, these seminars are for practitioners who represent prisoners or who are training to do so.
Book here:
Attendees will receive a digital delegate pack of lecture materials and slides.
About the trainers
Trainers will be provided from both SL5 Legal and No5 Barristers' Chambers.
SL5 Legal is a specialist team of prison lawyers, committed to the fundamental rights and fair treatment of prisoners. SL5 is headed by Andrew Sperling, a founding member, and former Chair of the Association of Prison Lawyers. His team has extensive experience of acting for prisoners over many years. Both Andrew Sperling and Catherine Bond have been recognised nationally for their work and were awarded Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year in 2021 and 2023 respectively.
SL5 also specialises in claims for judicial review against the Parole Board, the Secretary of State for Justice, and other public bodies. Recent successes include R(Somers) v Parole Board [2023] EWHC 2962 (Admin): a key authority on when fairness requires an oral hearing.
SL5 has pursued and successfully settled several challenges to open conditions refusals, oral hearing refusals and delays to parole hearings.
SL5 provides regular training for other prison lawyers, students and campaigning groups. It is dedicated to campaigning for reform, highlighting the plight of IPP prisoners, opposing proposals to change the parole process in the current Victims and Prisoners Bill, and advocating for an increase to the fees for publicly funded prison law work.
No5 Barristers' Chambers has led the way in recent years in public law challenges to decisions against the Parole Board and the Secretary of State for Justice. The prison law team is headed by Philip Rule KC.
Recent significant cases include:
R(Pearce) v Parole Board [2023] UKSC 13: the leading Supreme Court authority on how the Parole Board should deal with allegations.
R(Bailey and Morris) [2023] EWHC 1428 (Admin): the leading Divisional Court case which found that Secretary of State’s changes to the Parole Board Rules were unlawful.
R(Sneddon) v Secretary of State for Justice [2023] EWHC 3303 (Admin); R(Wynne) v Secretary of State for Justice [2023] EWHC 1111 (Admin); R(Green) v Secretary of State for Justice[2023] EWHC 1211 (Admin): key authorities on challenging the Secretary of State’s refusal to follow recommendations on open conditions
R(Dich and Murphy) v Parole Board [2023] EWHC 945: the leading case on the public protection test as it applies to determinate and extended determinate sentenced prisoners.
More information about the seminars
Seminar One: Preparing your client’s case before the Parole Board
25 April 2024 | 2pm - 5pm
The first seminar in the series will guide attendees through all the required steps for applying for and preparing for an oral hearing. It is intended for new practitioners and those who would like an in-depth refresher on how to identify and deal with issues when preparing their clients' cases.
Trainers will include speakers from No5 Barristers' Chambers and SL5 Legal. The event will be opened by Philip Rule KC.
Topics will include:
The Parole Board Rules and Guidance issued by the Parole Board
Accessing parole dossiers
The content of parole dossiers
Preparing representations
Applying for an oral hearing/ a decision on the papers
Obtaining expert evidence
The tests for release
The new power to detain
Dealing with allegations
Dealing with non-disclosure applications
Making stakeholder applications
Dealing with vulnerable clients, including neurodiverse clients and those with a history of mental illness
A short case study for discussion
Seminar Two: Advocacy before the Parole Board
22 May 2024 | 2pm - 5:30pm
The second seminar will guide attendees through how to best represent their clients at oral hearings. This session will be split into two parts.
In the first part, attendees will hear from experienced panel members from the Parole Board regarding what they view as effective advocacy. This session will be followed by a Q&A.
In the second part, trainers will discuss with attendees their top tips on advocacy before the Parole Board.
Trainers will include speakers from No5 Barristers' Chambers and SL5 Legal.
Topics that will be covered include:
How to persuasively argue your client’s case
Top 10 Parole Advocacy Do’s and Don’ts
How to deal with intervention by the panel
Dealing with professional ethical issues that may arise
A practical scenario for consideration.
Seminar Three: Challenging Parole Board decisions
18 June 2024 | 11am - 5pm
The third and final seminar will focus on challenging Parole Board decisions. It will comprehensively cover the latest developments in this area and provide an in-depth guide to identifying potential grounds of review. Training will also be provided in relation to how to commence judicial review proceedings.
Trainers will include speakers from No5 Barristers' Chambers and SL5 Legal.
Topics that will be covered in the morning session include:
Applying for reconsideration
Dealing with applications to set aside
Identifying grounds for judicial review against Parole Board decisions
Identifying grounds for judicial review against negative open conditions decisions made by the Secretary of State for Justice
Topics that will be covered in the afternoon session include:
Practical steps to judicially reviewing decisions
How to fund challenges
Drafting letters of claim
From issuing the claim to preparing for the substantive hearing